Kenya

Finding local solutions: improving the quality of haemoglobin tests in Kenya

The lack of adequate controls and reagents is an enduring problem experienced by laboratories in resource challenged environments. Under LabSkills Africa, the College partnered with the Aga Khan University Hospital to develop a course that trained 25 laboratory scientists and technologists from 4 Kenyan laboratories on how to prepare their own in-house haemoglobin controls. The training has not only ensured that haemoglobin tests are conducted to the required standard, it has also developed the capacity to produce in-house controls locally at a fraction of the cost of purchasing commercial controls, realising a saving of approximately USD1,500 per year for each laboratory.