Ethiopia has 10 regions and two independent cities. These regions and cities are independent of each other in providing health care to their people. Laboratory services provide a critical role in patient care, epidemiologic surveillance, and in prevention initiatives. In Ethiopia the public health /clinical laboratories are playing a major role in providing these services. The country assessments have put great emphasis on training of the laboratory and non laboratory personnel. Ethiopian Health & Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) provides limited training. EHNRI also monitors quality control in few selected test procedures. Due to limited staff in laboratories, laboratorian performs multiple tasks. It is important to provide training for the laboratory personnel to improve, harmonize and generate quality test results. To address these challenges, a CDC/GAP Ethiopia sponsored work shop will be held from Dec 07 to Dec. 13, 2003 at Bahir Dar in Ethiopia. This workshop will provide training on HIV, TB, STI, Malaria, Opportunistic Infections, quality control, quality assurance, EQA and laboratory safety. The participants will have the opportunity to interact with each other and share experiences in laboratory related strategies and problems related to laboratory testing. The workshop will also provide a platform for the regional laboratory directors to meet and initiate the building of a public health laboratory system in Ethiopia.
 
Goals

• To provide an overview of integrated training on the laboratory testing of HIV, TB, STI, and Malaria and Opportunistic Infections
   
• To provide laboratory quality control training.
   
• To improve quality of laboratory testing with special emphasis on HIV, TB, STI, Malaria, and Opportunistic infections
   
• To highlight laboratory safety.
   
• To initiate the development of Public Health Laboratory System.

Objectives

At the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Describe the importance of laboratory testing in HIV,TB, STI and Malaria
   
• Perform accurate and reliable the laboratory procedures for the diagnosis of HIV, TB, STI, Malaria and Opportunistic Infections.
   
• Describe the importance of QC and interpret quality control data
   
• Evaluate the QC data to improve laboratory performance
   
• Describe approaches for monitoring and measuring test performance
   
• Follow the laboratory safety precautions.
   
• Recognize the role and importance of public health laboratory system.