Press Releases 2011 African Society for Laboratory Medicine is Launched

[Guest guest]

Press Releases 2011

African Society for Laboratory Medicine is Launched, Operations to begin April

2011

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, (16 March, 2011) - A Pan-African professional body

working for the advancement of quality laboratory medicine was launched today in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the presence of over 300 stakeholders comprised of

policymakers, laboratory professionals, and funding agencies.

The body, called the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), will begin

work as early as July 2011, " to advocate for the critical role and needs of

laboratory medicine on the continent, " ASLM Chair of the Board of Directors Dr.

Nkengasong told cheering participants at the end of three days of intensive

work on how to chart a hitch-free course for the professional group.

Dr. Nkengasong explained, " the strong political commitment of the seven African

Ministers of Health present at this meeting is a critical driving force; not

just behind the historic launch, but a force that ASLM will continue to count on

to grow and fulfill its absolutely essential objectives. "

ASLM " envisions all African nations providing affordable access to quality

laboratory services, which make possible effective treatment and prevention of

disease and a better life for all people, " according to its stated goal.

Dr. Nkengasong who also serves as Associate Director for Laboratory Science and

Chief of the International Laboratory Branch in the U.S. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Global HIV/AIDS, set a tall and

ambitious one-year agenda for the new body.

In particular, he announced that before the First Annual Meeting of ASLM in

March/April 2012, it would have organized a writing workshop for scientists;

hired all the core staff for the secretariat, including the Executive Director;

appointed ASLM Ambassadors; and organized local, national, and regional ASLM

chapters.

He said that his ambition is to make of ASLM the authentic face for the hundreds

of African laboratory technicians and scientists who serve selflessly but with

little or no recognition.

Similar enthusiasm was perceptible on the part of all the other stakeholders. At

a dinner last night Angola became the first African country to officially commit

to a budgetary allocation to support the secretariat of ASLM which will be based

in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

H.E. Frestas Evelize, Angolan Vice Minister of Health said that her government

shares the vision of ASLM and would leave no stone unturned to see that it

succeeds.

Cameroon's Minister of Health, Mr. Mama-Fouda Andre, like his peers, outlined

his country's immediate plans to strengthen the development of laboratory

medicine in Cameroon.

Representatives of donor agencies, Ambassador Goosby, head of the U.S.

President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Dr. De Cock,

director, Center for Global Health at CDC, Atlanta and other speakers reiterated

the commitment of their institutions to continue to support ASLM.

On a continent where only 8.2% of laboratories in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding

South Africa ) are accredited and as recently as in 2010, only 28 of an

estimated 1 million laboratories in all of Africa were accredited based on

international standards, the future role of ASLM cannot be overemphasized.

Moreover, it is a well known fact that up to 70 percent of physician decisions

are based on laboratory results. Additionally, laboratory accreditation is

critical for ensuring the quality of laboratory results, and for fostering

improvements in other sectors of the health care system.

Quality laboratory services are not just the gateway to treatment and management

of priority diseases, laboratory data are essential for surveillance purposes

and policy decision making.

During his remarks at the meeting, delivered via video stream, former U.S.

President, Bill Clinton, whose Clinton Health Access Initiative has endorsed

ASLM, used the occasion to make a clarion call for regional and international

partners to support the initiative, because appropriate and accurate scientific

laboratory results are the prerequisite for quality health care.

A representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) also

welcomed the ASLM as " the type of concrete initiative that the African Union

seeks for the implementation of the African Health Strategy 2007-2015 adopted by

African Heads of State and Governments in 2006. "

The ASLM launch brought together over 300 participants from 36 countries,

including officials and seven Ministers of Health from Africa and leading

organizations specializing in strengthening laboratory systems from Africa and

the world. The World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa

(WHO/AFRO), CDC, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, American

Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), and other stakeholders have all made a

strong commitment to raise the status and practice of laboratory medicine in

Africa.

For more information, contact:

Gelasia Croom (US), gelasia.croom@... Tel: 1-312-541-4754

Yared Belete, (Ethiopia and on-site) Beletey@... Tel: 251-911-509-479

Sofia Yilma, (Ethiopia and on-site) yilmas@... Tel: 251-911-662-846

[Guest guest]

Press Releases 2011

African Society for Laboratory Medicine is Launched, Operations to begin April

2011

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, (16 March, 2011) - A Pan-African professional body

working for the advancement of quality laboratory medicine was launched today in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the presence of over 300 stakeholders comprised of

policymakers, laboratory professionals, and funding agencies.

The body, called the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), will begin

work as early as July 2011, " to advocate for the critical role and needs of

laboratory medicine on the continent, " ASLM Chair of the Board of Directors Dr.

Nkengasong told cheering participants at the end of three days of intensive

work on how to chart a hitch-free course for the professional group.

Dr. Nkengasong explained, " the strong political commitment of the seven African

Ministers of Health present at this meeting is a critical driving force; not

just behind the historic launch, but a force that ASLM will continue to count on

to grow and fulfill its absolutely essential objectives. "

ASLM " envisions all African nations providing affordable access to quality

laboratory services, which make possible effective treatment and prevention of

disease and a better life for all people, " according to its stated goal.

Dr. Nkengasong who also serves as Associate Director for Laboratory Science and

Chief of the International Laboratory Branch in the U.S. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Global HIV/AIDS, set a tall and

ambitious one-year agenda for the new body.

In particular, he announced that before the First Annual Meeting of ASLM in

March/April 2012, it would have organized a writing workshop for scientists;

hired all the core staff for the secretariat, including the Executive Director;

appointed ASLM Ambassadors; and organized local, national, and regional ASLM

chapters.

He said that his ambition is to make of ASLM the authentic face for the hundreds

of African laboratory technicians and scientists who serve selflessly but with

little or no recognition.

Similar enthusiasm was perceptible on the part of all the other stakeholders. At

a dinner last night Angola became the first African country to officially commit

to a budgetary allocation to support the secretariat of ASLM which will be based

in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

H.E. Frestas Evelize, Angolan Vice Minister of Health said that her government

shares the vision of ASLM and would leave no stone unturned to see that it

succeeds.

Cameroon's Minister of Health, Mr. Mama-Fouda Andre, like his peers, outlined

his country's immediate plans to strengthen the development of laboratory

medicine in Cameroon.

Representatives of donor agencies, Ambassador Goosby, head of the U.S.

President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Dr. De Cock,

director, Center for Global Health at CDC, Atlanta and other speakers reiterated

the commitment of their institutions to continue to support ASLM.

On a continent where only 8.2% of laboratories in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding

South Africa ) are accredited and as recently as in 2010, only 28 of an

estimated 1 million laboratories in all of Africa were accredited based on

international standards, the future role of ASLM cannot be overemphasized.

Moreover, it is a well known fact that up to 70 percent of physician decisions

are based on laboratory results. Additionally, laboratory accreditation is

critical for ensuring the quality of laboratory results, and for fostering

improvements in other sectors of the health care system.

Quality laboratory services are not just the gateway to treatment and management

of priority diseases, laboratory data are essential for surveillance purposes

and policy decision making.

During his remarks at the meeting, delivered via video stream, former U.S.

President, Bill Clinton, whose Clinton Health Access Initiative has endorsed

ASLM, used the occasion to make a clarion call for regional and international

partners to support the initiative, because appropriate and accurate scientific

laboratory results are the prerequisite for quality health care.

A representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) also

welcomed the ASLM as " the type of concrete initiative that the African Union

seeks for the implementation of the African Health Strategy 2007-2015 adopted by

African Heads of State and Governments in 2006. "

The ASLM launch brought together over 300 participants from 36 countries,

including officials and seven Ministers of Health from Africa and leading

organizations specializing in strengthening laboratory systems from Africa and

the world. The World Health Organization's Regional Office for Africa

(WHO/AFRO), CDC, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, American

Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), and other stakeholders have all made a

strong commitment to raise the status and practice of laboratory medicine in

Africa.

For more information, contact:

Gelasia Croom (US), gelasia.croom@... Tel: 1-312-541-4754

Yared Belete, (Ethiopia and on-site) Beletey@... Tel: 251-911-509-479

Sofia Yilma, (Ethiopia and on-site) yilmas@... Tel: 251-911-662-846