LabCoP recently sat down with Dr Rina Djubgang Djoukwe, Deputy Director of Laboratories and Blood Transfusion at the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon, to talk to her about her illustrious career in laboratory medicine and experience leading the Cameroon LabCoP Team.
ASLM: Dr Rina, your background is as a pharmacist biologist with a degree in field epidemiology. What inspired you to embark on a career in laboratory medicine?
Dr Rina: It all started from childhood, during which I was regularly ill, which led me to frequent health centres. It was during my visits that I saw health workers looking for the cause of illnesses through microscopes; since then, I too wanted to be behind this camera. After my Baccalaureate diploma and when I arrived at the faculty of medicine of the University of the Mountains, my choice was already made,
ASLM: What is your role as the Lab Director in Cameroon?
Dr Rina: The sub-directorate of laboratories and blood transfusion that I direct is responsible for quite a bit. This includes developing legislative documents to govern laboratory activity and writing and implementing regulatory documents and standards for clinical biology and blood transfusion to ensure safety and compliance with best practices across these fields. We also update maps of clinical laboratories, coordinate the activity of all establishments that offer diagnostic services, particularly supply of reagents and medical devices. Finally, we also ensure awareness among professional organizations on standards and undertake efforts to promote blood donation.Mountains, my choice was already made, namely to seek to see the disease.
ASLM: What are some of the most critical gaps of the laboratory system in Cameroon, which you want to tackle as priorities?
Dr Rina: We have a lot of gaps, and are currently focus on several priorities. As I mentioned, we are developing regulatory and policy documents for clinical biology, blood transfusion and laboratories. We are revising the national laboratory strategy plan and Decree No. 176/1990, relating to the organisation and operation of clinical laboratory services, in order to unite stakeholder demands and find consensus. We are also establishing a national, integrated transport system for biosamples.
ASLM: How has LabCoP helped Cameroon achieve some of its goals since joining in 2020?
Dr Rina: LabCoP brought together actors from various structures linked to the laboratory system who formed a reflection committee on relevant topics. LabCoP made it possible to share individual experiences, so members can see how others have overcome the same difficulties. LabCoP also enabled us to set up a national External Quality Assessment system. During each visit, the LabCoP Core Technical Team involved my staff in their activities, which allowed them to understand the role of the laboratory. The laboratory is also consulted for advice on the acquisition of equipment and the supply of reagents. This visibility and approach has allowed us to be better understood and supported by the hierarchy.
ASLM: What advice would you give to other national LabCoP teams who may not be fully utilising the benefits of LabCoP?
Dr Rina: Find out about the activities and scope of LabCoP. From the moment that we understood the scope of what LabCoP could bring us, we became interested in LabCoP activities. Take more interest in LabCoP tools and documentation, which are available through its communication channels, website, WhatsApp and electronic messages, to better know LabCoP and benefit from it.