Our Journey
The African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) is an independent, international, not-for-profit organisation founded in March 2011 in Addis Ababa, here’s a view of our journey since.
2011
ASLM WAS FOUNDED
ASLM started with just two runners, but as the team sprinted towards a healthier Africa, it’s now a relay race, with the baton passing to more teammates as they speed towards the finish line of progress.
2012
First ASLM International Conference
ASLM2012, held in Cape Town from December 1-7, 2012, gathered over 1,000 healthcare professionals and policymakers under the theme “Accurate Laboratory Diagnostics: A Pillar of Quality Healthcare.”
MINISTERIAL CALL FOR ACTION
ALSM led a landmark Ministerial Call for Action reinforced an irrefutable commitment from multiple governments by African Ministers of health to enhance laboratory medicine throughout the continent.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PAN AFRICAN HARMONIZATION WORKING PARTY (PAHWP)
ASLM announces the establishment of the Pan African Harmonization Working Party (PAHWP) to address regulation of medical devices and diagnostics to protect public health in Africa.
2013
LAUNCHES THE CONTINENT WIDE SLIPTA PROGRAM
ASLM held a Ministerial Call to Action that was the foundation of the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) program in Lesotho.
2015
The Freetown Declaration on Developing Resilient Laboratory Networks for the Global Health Security Agenda in Africa
In October 2015, representatives from various countries, organizations, and institutions met in Freetown, Sierra Leone, for the Regional Global Health Security Consultation on Laboratory Strengthening. The meeting, held after the devastating Ebola outbreak, focused on creating strategies for establishing robust laboratory networks to enhance global health security in Africa
2017
LABCOP WAS LAUNCHED
LabCoP, launched in 2017 by ASLM with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, held its first ECHO session in February 2018 on sample transport. During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 50 ECHO sessions were dedicated to sharing diagnostics and best practices, with participation from over 100 countries
2018
Launch of Laboratory Mapping
ASLM launches laboratory mapping program enhance the functionality of national and regional laboratory networks by pooling existing resources and preparing for and responding to disease outbreaks.
ASLM and Africa CDC announces the new Africa Collaborative Initiative to Advance Diagnostics (AFCAD)
2019
ASLM ACADEMY WAS LAUNCHED
The Academy has trained more than 17,000 laboratory professionals from around the world. Additionally, 200 have been professionally qualified in AMR surveillance as an expert qualification, and there are currently 28 courses on offer.
FIRST AMR DATA IN THE CONTINENT
The Mapping Antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use Partnership’ (MAAP) consortium worked to provide a baseline quantification of antimicrobial resistance and consumption in 14 priority countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
2020-2022
COVID-19 Webinars were Hosted
ASLM hosts COVID-19 webinars series for information dissemination during the peak of COVID-19
2022
LAUNCH OF THE LABORATORY DIRECTORS FORUM
ASLM and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched the Laboratory Directors’ Forum (LabDF) virtually in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. LabDF aims to unite African laboratory leaders from 55 African Union Member States, providing a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing to enhance laboratory capacity across the continent.
2023
FELPA WAS LAUNCHED
FeLPA was Launched in Cape Town, South Africa during the ASLM 2023 Conference. To date ASLM has signed 20 MoUs with association in 20 countries.
2024
ASLM Convention for Diagnostics Outcomes
1.ASLM’s unwavering commitment to elevating and advancing the diagnostic and laboratory agenda among policymakers
2.Endorsement of civil society’s crucial role in advancing diagnostics
3.Launch of a Sub-community of practice on procurement and supply management (PSM) for genomics
4. A call to action for governments to strengthen laboratory systems and networks across Africa, expanding access to quality diagnostics