The new facilities for the National Laboratories Directorate and the Continuing Training Center for laboratory technicians are housed in the Institute for the Professional Development of Healthcare Providers in Conakry. The ceremony to celebrate this milestone for Guinean patients was attended by many illustrious guests.

The inauguration ceremony was presided over by His Excellency Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea. Several national ministers were in attendance in addition to numerous international figures including RESAOLAB’s partners, funders and stakeholders.

The new one-story building covers nearly 450 m2. The National Laboratories Directorate includes a director’s office, five other offices, an archive room and a meeting room. The Continuing Training Center for laboratory technicians includes a 40-seat classroom, two practical training rooms with laboratory benches and equipment for 12 people, a multimedia room equipped with computers for 16 people, and a preparation laboratory for the practical work. The building was financed by the RESAOLAB program for a cost of €350,000.

The importance of developing an effective clinical biology system

In Guinea, the new Laboratories Directorate will help implement the Ministry of Health’s clinical biology policy. It will allow the Ministry to coordinate the country’s clinical biology laboratories, verify the quality of their analyses, and orient personnel towards additional training if necessary.

The Mérieux Foundation in Guinea

In Guinea, the Mérieux Foundation runs three ongoing projects:

• LAB-NET to strengthen laboratory capabilities and ensure quality diagnostics while creating a national surveillance system for viral hemorrhagic fevers.
• LABOGUI to improve 30 Guinean laboratories and refurbish the National School of Health.
• REDISSE to improve disease surveillance systems in ECOWAS countries in order to prevent new epidemics and provide the appropriate response when they occur.

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