From May 21-23, the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM)’s LabCoP Management Team visited Mozambique to officially welcome their Country Team into the LabCoP network. The Mozambique Country Team, led by Adolfo Vubil, Head of Reference Laboratory Services at the Instituto Nacional de Saúde, participated in activities aimed at understanding and integrating the LabCoP vision.
The LabCoP team, comprising Dr Collins Otieno (Project Lead), Mr Francis Ocen (Project Manager), Mrs Mariamo Assane (Project Officer), and Mr Felix Humwa (Science Manager), was greeted by Dr Sergio Seni, Deputy Director of the National Directorate of Medical Assistance, and Dr Felix Pinto, Head of the Department of Diagnostic Support Services at the Mozambique Ministry of Health. Their meeting focused on aligning the LabCoP mission and goals with Mozambique’s objectives.
The team toured several key facilities, including the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Genetics at the National Institute of Health, the Mavalane Health Facility, and the Mavalane Molecular Biology Laboratory. These visits provided valuable insights into the structure of Mozambique’s laboratory network.
Following the site visits, a two-and-a-half-day plenary session was held. This session featured a detailed assessment of Mozambique’s viral load testing processes and an evaluation of their laboratory system’s readiness for integration. The plenary was attended by representatives from the ministry of health, the Central Laboratory Division, the National Institute of Health, and HIV and TB programs. Key implementing partners, including Jessina Masamha, Laboratory Branch Chief at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mozambique; and Solon Kidane, Country Director at the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Mozambique, also participated.
The plenary session highlighted several best practices, including an integrated specimen referral network that serves both clinical and public health facilities, and the expansion of testing services beyond HIV and tuberculosis. Mozambique’s Country Team was invited to present these best practices in future LabCoP ECHO sessions, webinars hosted by ASLM that facilitate south-south learning and strengthen laboratory systems across Africa.