The idea behind the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) began with a conference held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in February 2001. The concept of ASLM became further developed in January 2008 with the Maputo Declaration, which called on national governments, donors, and partners in resource-limited settings to prioritise laboratory systems and develop strategic laboratory plans. The foundation for ASLM was then established and, two years later, the organisation took form as a result of the Kampala Statement, which directly called for the creation of ASLM. ASLM was then launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in March 2011, and began functioning in April 2011.

ASLM is a membership organisation for African laboratory professionals committed to improving diagnostic services and increasing patient access to high quality laboratory testing across the continent. ASLM champions laboratory services with the goal of making a positive impact on the treatment and prevention of disease.

Download the the ASLM history one-pager here.