Delegates from Uganda’s Ministry of Health Visit South Africa to Learn About the NHLS Structure

 South-south learning is the cornerstone of ASLM’s LabCoP and enables country teams to learn from each other’s successes in resolving complications related to laboratory systems. In keeping with this practice, in June 2024, a team from the Department of National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS), Ministry of Health, Uganda, visited the South Africa National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) to discover how NHLS is structured, operates and lessons learned to strengthen laboratory systems in Uganda.

Broadly, the NHLDS team sought to understand the leadership and organizational structure, financial and human resources operations, technical programs, their operational relationships and overall business plan of South Africa’s NHLS. More specifically, the NHS team shared with the NHLDS team about NHLS innovative business models that incorporates public-private partnerships and revenue generation through diagnostic services provision and training programs. They also shed light on a hybrid specimen transportation mechanism utilizing private and public courier services. The NHLDS team learned about NHLS’ stand-alone Academic Affairs, Research, and Quality Assurance (AARQA) Division that plays a crucial role in overseeing academic affairs, research, and quality improvement processes. NHLS also demonstrated how they utilize Rapid Response Mobile Laboratories to ensure geographical access to quality testing services for TB & HIV that the NHLDS might benefit from adopting into their own laboratory plan.

Finally, the NHLS detailed their development of digital pathology to improve timely access to quality anatomical pathology services. 

The NHLS team recommended a few key areas for NHLDS’s further consideration following the visit. They suggested the establishment of a formal collaboration between NHLDS and NHLS focuses on strengthening Uganda’s pre-service training, expansion of testing scope, and stronger scientific research collaboration between the two entities and their subsidiaries. They also urged NHLDS to implement a sustainable business model through revenue-generating approaches including partnerships to ensure financial sustainability. Finally, the NHLS team encouraged NHLDS to improve access to molecular TB/RIF testing in Uganda’s TB Laboratory network through expansion of test platform scope.

Overall, the visit exposed the NHLDS leadership to vast operational experience at South Africa’s NHLS, and provided knowledge and alternative approaches that can strengthen Uganda’s NHLDS to better support their national laboratory network and beyond. The LabCoP project is eager to facilitate more south-south visits like this to strengthen laboratory systems across Africa.