Public labs are in a poor state

Accra, Nov.1, GNA - The state of clinical laboratories in the public health sector is very poor in terms of diagnostic equipment and technical user consumables, a Finance committee report has revealed.

"Over 80 per cent of public clinical laboratories still rely on old fashioned systems for analysing specimen.. these are generally labour-intensive, inefficient and inaccurate, as a result, test results have been questionable."


This was contained in a report presented by Mr. Ben Osei Kufuor, Vice Chairman, Finance Committee, on the mixed credit facility agreement between Ghana and Belgium and the KBC bank of Belgium for 2.8 million euros for the financing of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Project (CLIP)


The CLIP has been designed to address the problems facing the clinical laboratories and to raise the standard and enhance their efficiencies, Under the project, pre-installation work would be carried out in 22 district hospitals, which would later benefit from the supply of assorted laboratory equipment and consumables, among others.

KBC BANK, which is providing 1.5 million euros, is taking a management fee of zero point fifty per cent and an interest rate of 3.54 per cent.


The loan is to be paid within five years with a grace period of 12 months.


The Belgian government, which is providing 1.3 million euros, is taking no interest and no management fee. Ghana is to repay that loan within 20 years with a grace period of 10 years.