Managers of health facilities in the country have been urged to adopt systems to constantly validate equipment used in their laboratories.
That, the Chief Programme Officer and Director of Allied Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr Ignatius Awinibuno, explained was the only way to ensure that the equipment used in their laboratories meet the specification of the Food and Drugs Authority.
He was speaking at a stakeholders meeting of suppliers of laboratory equipment, chief executive officers of hospitals, laboratory technicians and medical practitioners in Accra.
The event jointly organised by the Floke Fama and Mindray, suppliers and manufacturers of medical laboratory equipment sought to equip participants with the necessary skills on new trends in laboratory equipment usage.
It was on the theme: “Sustainable healthcare system: Contribution of quality laboratory diagnosis.”
The participants were from the University of Ghana Medical School, the Ridge Hospital, Police Hospital, Airport Women Hospital, Trust Hospital, Premacare and the Community Hospital.
Dr Awinibuno said technology is a double edged sword that can misdirect laboratory results hence the need for conscious efforts in the type of tools used in service delivery adding that “medical mistakes are not reversed as such the need to step up and do what is right in order to save lives”.
The director stated that in-vitro gadgets had come to stay and were expected to grow at an annual rate of about 7.1 per cent because of the continuous manufacture of such consumables.
He charged the facilities to have their equipment calibrated in order to standardise the results of the various laboratories, as required by the manufacturer.
Dr Henry Huang, the Chief Medical Officer of Mindray, North America, said as manufacturers of laboratory equipment and test kits, the onus rest on them to ensure that the products meet the specification of the user.
He stated that as part of the best practices, it behoove managers of the health facilities to ensure that they always used the best equipment to provide accurate data needed for the fast recovery of the patient.
The Chief Executive Officer of Floke Fama Ghana, Mr Emmanuel Teye Kenney, in his opening remarks stated that the use of precision and controlled laboratory equipment were needed for perfect results.
He bemoaned the proliferation of sub-standard equipment which had not followed standard procedures, explaining that it was the duty of the material user to be wary of such goods.
He urged the public to stop buying sub-standard self-test kits which have not been registered by the Food and Drugs Authority.
“A lot of people just carry medical device and bring it into the country even though it has not met the required standard,” he added.
The CEO indicated that Floke Fama offered some of its equipment at concessionary prices and urged the medical facilities to partner his outfit in order to procure first class equipment for first class health delivery.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
