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AfIHQSA trains medical laboratory professionals in internal auditing, ISO accreditation standards
Dr B.K. Rana, Founding CEO, Quality & Accreditation Institute
As part of efforts to ensure medical laboratory professionals are equipped with the requisite knowledge and competencies in quality and safe healthcare delivery, a number of practitioners have completed a week’s intensive training in different aspects of medical laboratory practice.
Organised by the Africa Institute of Healthcare Quality, Safety & Accreditation (AfIHQSA) in collaboration with the Quality and Accreditation Institute (QAI) in India, the course among other objectives was to enable participants “understand basic quality management systems” and help them appreciate “their role and ability to advance patient safety through medical diagnostics”.
The virtual training session which started on August 22, to August 28, 2022, brought together medical laboratory scientists interested in quality management systems from eight healthcare facilities in the country.
According to AfIHQSA, the organisers of the training programme, the content of the ‘Accreditation Standard and Internal Auditing’ course (ISO 15189:2012) was “aligned to International Standardisation Organisation (ISO 19011) guidelines for auditing quality management systems and tailored to be relevant to the assessment of medical laboratories.”
Participants were taken through, presentations, discussions and case studies and would subsequently undergo a six-week fieldwork with mentorship to enable them audit any medical laboratory of their choice using the ISO 15189:2012 standards and write a report. Upon successful completion, participants will be certified by AfIHQSA & QAI as Internal Auditors. This is a certificate of competence.
As per accreditation requirements, organisers of the course said it was important for the “Quality Manager of a Medical Laboratory or any Biomedical Scientist who is interested in a career in Healthcare Quality and Safety to get trained in a course which covers Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Internal Auditing.”
The trainees were exposed to the rudiments of performing an internal audit, composing audit findings, preparation of audit report, characteristics of an effective internal auditor, among other subjects.
Certified Quality Management and Safety (QMS) as well as Medical Laboratory Internal Auditors, according to AfIHQSA, would be expected to renew their certification every two years and “there will have to be evidence of practice as part of the renewal process”.
Facilitators included: Dr B.K. Rana, the Founding CEO of Quality & Accreditation Institute; Mrs Comfort Nyameba Opoku, a Senior Clinical Laboratory Quality Manager Health Programmes at US Pharmacopeia (USP), and Dr Elom Otchi, an International Consultant in Organisational Development and Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety; and Technical Director of AfIHQSA.
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People of Volta Region will soon have a sigh of relief- Roads and Highways Minister
The Minister for Roads and Highways has assured that the people of Volta Region will soon have a sigh of relief.
This follows an update from the Ministry on the Ho-Aflao Road and Weta – Afiadenyigba – Havedzi Road
The government has taken steps to fulfill its promise to reconstruct the Ho-Aflao and the Weta – Afiadenyigba – Havedzi Road.
Yesterday, the Minister, Kwame Agbodza, accompanied by the deputy minister, Alhassan Suhuyini, led a team of engineers from the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Ghana Highway Authority to assess the conditions of the roads and plans for urgent intervention.
Mr.Agbodza indicated the whereas the Ho-Aflao Road will be reconstructed under the Big Push Agenda of President John Mahama, the Weta – Afiadenyigba – Havedzi Road will be funded through the Roads Ministry’s 2025 budgetary allocation.
The Minister further explained that feasibility studies, drawings, and designs for the Ho bypass are almost complete, with procurement and construction set to begin soon.
News
Gender Minister participate in 2025 IWD Women’s Dialogue
On Saturday March 8, 2025, the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, participated in the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) Women’s Dialogue.
The event, held under the patronage of Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, brought together policymakers, leaders, and advocates to discuss the theme: “Resetting the Agenda for Women: Accelerating Action on Women’s Rights, Equity, and Empowerment.”
The dialogue aimed to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while addressing the challenges they continue to face.
It also provided a platform for stakeholders to engage in discussions that would accelerate action on women’s rights and empowerment, fostering collaboration on gender equality initiatives.
Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang emphasized the need for inclusive and sustained efforts to promote women’s leadership, economic empowerment, and educational advancement.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey reiterated the urgency of accelerating action on women’s rights, equity, and empowerment.
She acknowledged the progress made in advancing gender equality but stressed that significant challenges remain, particularly in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
She emphasized that discussions should go beyond identifying these challenges to taking deliberate and transformative actions to address them. She called for concrete steps to turn commitments into lasting change, urging stakeholders to work together to develop policies, shift societal norms, and economically and politically empower women.
Underscoring the theme “Resetting the Agenda for Women: Accelerating Action on Women’s Rights, Equity, and Empowerment,” the Minister called for a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and drive real, measurable change.
She urged policymakers, civil society, and the private sector to collaborate on initiatives that empower women economically, challenge societal norms, and create inclusive spaces for women’s voices to be heard.
The Minister further emphasized that:
“Gender equality is not just about rights—it is about ensuring that women have the power and resources to shape their own destinies and contribute meaningfully to national development.”
She reaffirmed President John Dramani Mahama’s Government commitment to advocating for gender equity and encouraged meaningful dialogue to inspire actionable strategies.
In conclusion, she called on all participants to actively contribute to shaping a future where women’s rights are fully realized, emphasizing that every action counts in achieving true gender equality.
