The Biosafety Cabinet (BSC) certification team of Global Health Systems Solutions (GHSS) has certified the biosafety cabinets of some ten (10) Viral Load and COVID-19 testing laboratories in the Littoral, East, West, Center, North and Far North regions of Cameroon. The certification exercise was carried out from June 1 to September 19, 2022. The following clinical laboratories were involved: the Research Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases (CREMER), Yaounde Central Hospital, National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), The Cathedra Medical Centre (CMC) Nkolondom, the Chantal Biya International Reference Centre (CIRCB), Dream Laboratory-Dschang, Douala Laquintinie Hospital Laboratory, East Regional Hospital Laboratory, and Centre Pasteur du Cameroun Annex (CPC Annex)-Garoua.  

The GHSS BSC team equally guided the staff and personnel of these laboratories on how to inspect and carry out essential preventive maintenance. According to GHSS’ Biosafety and Biosecurity Officer, Mr. Tah Timothy Njuoh, the certification exercise is in preparation for the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) audit in some nine laboratories in Cameroon slated for October 7, 2022. Mr. Tah added, “This is to ensure they have scores that reflect the effort we have been making to build sustainable quality management systems in the respective laboratories.” 

GHSS has remained steadfast in putting in place a system that manages risks associated with the acquisition, operation, maintenance, and use of medical laboratory equipment. Biosafety Cabinet Certification is an annual equipment check carried out by the organization, following defined standards, to ensure that laboratory personnel manipulating infectious samples do not get infected. This is also done to limit the propagation of infectious samples within laboratory spaces.  The BSC certification exercise in the laboratory also aligns with GHSS’ strive to enhance laboratory quality management systems, given that accurate and precise results cannot be generated in the laboratory if the equipment does not work as it is supposed to.