Empowering Genomic Laboratories: ASLM and Africa CDC Lead LQMS Training in Senegal

The African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), in collaboration with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), has successfully conducted a week-long Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS) training workshop for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) facilities. The event, held from February 12 to 16, 2024, took place in Dakar, Senegal, and saw participation from 11 countries supported by the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) CARES initiative. These countries include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.

The primary objective of the training was to empower genomics laboratories in the public health sector with practical Quality Management System (QMS) information. The goal is to ensure the dissemination of reliable and high-quality data for diagnostics, public health actions, and policy development. Participants are anticipated to develop a quality policy, set objectives, and establish processes for QMS implementation. Additionally, they are encouraged to collaborate with management to implement effective QMS and strive for accreditation, ultimately enabling standardized procedures and the production of accurate test results.

The opening of the workshop was officiated by Dr Abdouramane Sow, Director of Public Health at Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), along with Dr Aquillah Kanzi, Program Manager for CARES/GHSA at ASLM, and Dr Sarah Mwangi, Implementation Science Expert for Genomics at Africa CDC.

Dr Sow emphasized the collaborative efforts of ASLM, Africa CDC, and the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) to support national reference laboratories in ECOWAS member states in implementing QMS. He highlighted the importance of applying QMS in genome sequencing facilities to enhance operational quality and fulfill the mandates set by health ministries, stakeholders, and the general public. Dr Sow expressed gratitude for the support provided by Africa CDC and ASLM to Institut Pasteur de Dakar, which is striving to become a center of excellence in West Africa as an External Quality Assessment (EQA) and Proficiency Testing (PT) provider.