The 6th Biennial SLMTA Symposium

• Nqobile Ndlovu (CEO, ASLM)
• Dr. Katy Yao (SLMTA Program Director, US CDC)

• Dr. Susan Nabadda (Commissioner of National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services, MOH Uganda)
• Dr. Samba Diallo (Portfolio Lead, ASLM)
• Dr. Watipaso Kasambara (MAAP Project Manager, ASLM)
• Cheri Paladar (Laboratory Director, Malamulo Adventist Hospital, Malawi)

Key Messages from Session 2 Panel Discussion Close

• Laboratory must be recognized as an independent sector (directorate) in the ministry of health since it is the cornerstone of diagnostics. During policy discussions, laboratory needs to provide its own voice and expertise.
• To be seen by MOH, laboratories must “show their value by doing”. When laboratories provide efficient services, the community including other health personnel will trust our service and join to advocate for labs.
• A clear laboratory strategic framework is mandatory because it:
  1. Reflects the gaps in country-specific scenarios;
  2. Directs partners to focus on our country-specific laboratory needs.
  3. Helps for labs to be included in the national budget
• If the laboratory is not clear about its problem and goals, then partners will tell the laboratory what to do.
• Leveraging and integrating resources throughout the entire laboratory allows for a holistic approach to improving laboratory services.
• Laboratories must know basic financial management and effectively communicate their resource needs and output in the language understood by decision makers at all levels.

• Dr. Pascale Ondoa (Director of Science and New Initiatives, ASLM)
• Donewell Bangura (Africa CDC)
• Dr. Mark McKinney (Senior Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Professor of Interventional Radiology at Mayo Clinic, USA)

• Dr. Susan Nabadda (Commissioner of National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services, MOH Uganda)
• Christa Siyem (PhD candidate at the l’Université Catholique d’Afrique Centrale)
• Dr. Talkmore Maruta (Acting Director of Programs, ASLM)

Key Messages from Session 4 Panel Discussion Close

• Personal lessons learned include:
  1. Relationships are key.
  2. Opportunities present in different formats.
  3. Do what you do as if it is the only chance you have.
  4. Have role models through professional networks.
  5. Let your good works precede you.
  6. Do not let money and success be your only drivers.
  7. Do not be afraid to take risks.
  8. Don't be close minded, there is always something you can improve on.
• The SLMTA program:
  1. Provided the "how-to" answers and enabled standardization.
  2. Gave our customers a voice and ways to determine their satisfaction.
  3. Enabled trust in our results and gave our users confidence in the system.
• To overcome doubt:
  1. Operate from a point of conviction and keep pushing and trying.
  2. Get a mentor.
  3. Persevere and believe in your goal.
• Guiding principles:
  1. Be curious.
  2. Learn from mistakes.
  3. Remain open to change.
  4. Embrace continuous learning.
  5. Seek professional networking.

• Edwin Shumba (ASLM)
• Nqobile Ndlovu (CEO, ASLM)
• Dr. Talkmore Maruta (Acting Director of Programs, ASLM)
• Patience Dabula (National Quality Assurance Manager, NHLS, South Africa)

• Dr. Tjeerd Datema (CEO, DATOS, Netherlands)
• Vijay Padayachee (Consultant and Trainer in Management Systems, South Africa)
• Barbara Mokgethwa (SANAS Accreditation Manager, South Africa)
• Richard Kutame (Quality Manager/Deputy Chief Biomedical Scientist, National Public Health and Reference Laboratory, Ghana)

• Download Overview Presentation
• Download Video

Key Messages from Session 6 Panel Discussion Close

• Relax! Do not stress about the transition to the new standard. Keep it simple and do a transition plan.
• Laboratory management must be the driver for this transitioning and present evidence of this fact. Management can no longer just “give it to the quality officer.”
• A risk-based approach optimizes your QMS on a continual basis.
• Steps to transition successfully include:
  1. Obtain a copy of the standard.
  2. Understand the structure of the new standard and key differences between versions.
  3. Design, develop, and implement a transition plan.
  4. Perform risk assessment with emphasis on your critical processes and determine residual risk.
  5. Address POCT testing.
• For internal auditors previously qualified on the 2007 standard, no additional training or documentation is required; however, it is recommended that laboratories still explain the gaps between the standards.
• Laboratories must have been assessed by December 2025. If not, their accreditation status will be suspended. However, different accrediting bodies may have different deadlines to address nonconformities. CABS deadline is March 2025.

• Ernest Makokha (CDC Kenya)
• Lucia Sisya (MOHCC, Zimbabwe)
• Bridget Mukundu (BRTI, Zimbabwe)
• Romana Katekwe (ZIMTECH, Zimbabwe)
• Adam Chindore (OPHID, Zimbabwe)
• Lydia Tongowona (CDC Zimbabwe)

Key Messages from Session 7 Panel Discussion Close

• Understanding the care linkages, creating new services to address gaps , and using social media communication between departments (e.g. Whatsapp) improved the clinic-laboratory interface.
• Even though viral load testing was targeted in the study, the data showed an increase in performance throughout the post analytical phase in all testing areas.
• The improvement project created an awareness of facility level bottlenecks.
• As a result of the study, the CQI training was embedded into the nursing curriculum.

• Overview of The SLMTA Training Toolbox
• SLMTA 1 Updates
• SLMTA 3 eLearning Updates
• QCMV eLearning Updates
• Clinical Laboratory Management Diploma Program Overview

• Download Part 1 Video
• Download Part 2 Video