National Health Laboratory Services Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025

The National Health Laboratory Services Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025 is a national sectoral strategic plan of The Gambia. Its general objective is to is to establish authority and direction for the development of the required capacity of laboratory services and define standards for all aspects of health laboratory practice in the country. This Strategic Plan provides to transform the Directorate of NPHL to the Directorate of NHLS, with the capacity to effectively and efficiently manage laboratory services across The Gambia in the context of decentralisation; to provide the required number of staff with the necessary qualifications, skill sets, competence and motivation to deliver high-quality laboratory services across The Gambia; to promote integrity, dignity and appropriate conduct in laboratory practices at all times and all levels; to provide appropriate, functional laboratory equipment and sufficient consumables and supplies to guarantee uninterrupted laboratory service delivery at all levels of healthcare; to have quality laboratory services at all health system levels to support effective patient management, disease surveillance, epidemic investigation, research, and other specialised services.
Further matters covered by this Strategic Plan concern: provision of contributions to key research outcomes, to improve patient management, laboratory performance, zoonosis and disease control in line with the national health policy and strategy; creation of appropriately designed and standardised laboratory structures that meet the specific needs of each level of health facility; mobilising sufficient financial and logistical resources required to facilitate the delivery of continuous and high-quality health laboratory services; establishing a quality management system in health facilities towards the accreditation of laboratories; monitoring and evaluating laboratory service delivery at all levels of healthcare; establishing the Gambia Medical Laboratory Council for the regulation of laboratory personnel and institutions across the country; adopting best practices that comply with relevant and appropriate national and international laboratory information management systems (e.g. IDSR/HMIS); promoting networking among health facilities and public and private laboratories and all other relevant stakeholders; establishing and maintaining a robust legal framework for the regulation of all medical laboratories; appointing a committee to ensure the accountability and transparency of laboratory services across all levels of healthcare in liaison with the project coordination unit and National Laboratory Technical Working Group; establishing policies and guidelines for laboratory biosafety, biosecurity, waste management and for ensuring food safety and quality; defining antimicrobial resistance (AMR) policies and strategies for the surveillance and control of AMR, for the implementation of One Health approach; developing mechanisms to ensure the availability of laboratory financial protocols and guidelines for financial management and accountability.