Readiness Assessment of Clinical Laboratory Systems and Networks in Gabon for Diagnostic Services Integration

Participants, including (L to R) Prof Joël Fleury Djoba Siawaya, Director of LNSP (centre, in white), Dr Elise Eyang Obame, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, and Mr Bernard Nzondo Kombe, General Director of Laboratories and Medical Imaging
Participants, including (L to R) Prof Joël Fleury Djoba Siawaya, Director of LNSP (centre, in white), Dr Elise Eyang Obame, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, and Mr Bernard Nzondo Kombe, General Director of Laboratories and Medical Imaging

A workshop to assess the readiness of Gabon’s clinical laboratory systems and networks for the integration of diagnostic services was held in Libreville 18-19 March 2024. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of Gabon has participated in ASLM’s LabCoP since 2022, and a baseline self-assessment of Gabon’s laboratory systems supporting scale-up of HIV viral load testing was conducted in August 2022. A follow-up assessment of the resulting action plan implementation was completed in November 2023. The goal of the March 2024 workshop was to identify gaps in critical components of integration and develop solutions to successfully integrate laboratory services.

Dr Elise Eyang Obame chairs the opening ceremony
Dr Elise Eyang Obame chairs the opening ceremony

For two days, participants assessed all key areas of diagnostic services integration in Gabon in accordance with the requirements of Universal Health Coverage and the recommendations of the Maputo Declaration. Participants included the LabCoP country team, which includes members from the National Public Health Laboratory (LNSP), Lambaréné Medical Research Center (CERMEL), National Program for the Fight against Tuberculosis (PNLT), National Program for the Fight against Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS (PNLIST), Central Medical Analysis Laboratory, General Directorate of Animal Health and Livestock (DGE), Institute of Public Hygiene and Sanitation (IHPA) and Africa CDC/Gabon. They were joined by high-level representatives from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Dr Elise Eyang Obame, as well as others from the General Directorate of Laboratories and Medical Imaging (DGLIM), LNSP, the Central Directorate of Human Resources, the Central Directorate of Financial Affairs, and the Directorate of Health Management Information Systems. The country team was supported by ASLM consultants including Dr Marguerite Massinga Loembé, Dr Krystina Mengue Me Ngou-Milama, Mr Ki-Zerbo Charles Lamou, and Ms Mariamo Ibraimo Assane.

Participants in a working session on day one
Participants in a working session on day one

The opening ceremony of the workshop was chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Eyang Obame, representing the Minister of Health. In her speech, she thanked the LabCoP project for its support in strengthening Gabon’s laboratory network and reassured the participants of the support of the Ministry of Health regarding the implementation of the recommendations resulting from the evaluation.

Workshop attendees developed consolidated work plan to successfully integrate diagnostic services to improve and maintain access to laboratory services. The LabCoP team will assess its implementation over the next two years.