Laboratory Network Strategy & Policy Development

Laboratory Network Strategy

One of ASLM’s priority goals is the strengthening of effective communication among laboratory professional societies in the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) region. ASLM strives to assist the professional laboratory community in areas where laboratory professional societies do not exist. The function of the ASLM laboratory network strategy is to educate, strengthen and empower members of the professional laboratory community to be effective advocates for strategic public health laboratory infrastructure initiatives and leadership. ASLM seeks to develop a foundation upon which local and international health agencies and political leaders can understand the value of laboratory services and the professional workforce.


Key Objectives

• Support national and international organizsations in the planning and implementation of country and regional forums to network existing professional laboratory associations;
• Encourage formation of associations where none currently exist;
• Facilitate communication on successes in strengthening national laboratory systems among national public health laboratories and professional laboratory medical associations;
• Inform national health ministries of successes and benefits of public health laboratory systems and value of a professional laboratory workforce.

Communication Goals

• Inform stakeholders of ASLM mission and objectives;
• Assist stakeholders in organising and facilitating meetings with specific goals;
• Share best practices of associations;
• Develop action plans for promoting laboratory professionals;
• Organise leadership teams to establish associations where needed;
• Develop and promote specific initiatives  to strengthen the medical laboratory profession
• Recruit members for ASLM;
• Provide a single access Internet site that links national public health laboratories and existing disease specific networks.

Policy Development

ASLM’s role in policy development is to support the World Health Organization (WHO), Ministries of Health (MoH), and other partners in formulating national and regional laboratory policies or strategic plans according to WHO and international guidelines.

Role of ASLM

• Advocacy role with Ministries of Health (MoH) to elaborate, adopt and implement laboratory policy;
• Translate policy into strategic plans;
• Promote technical assistance through ASLM members;
• Partner with WHO in developing guidelines; 
• Promote country to country collaboration.

Technical Assistance Goals

• Develop template and processes for assessment and collection of standardised data;
• Help in developing concrete targets by country to assess/drive policy;
• Regional bodies of ASLM to assist local associations in formulating policy and plan.