Health laboratory inaugurated in Gaza

Xai-Xai (Mozambique), 28 Apr (AIM) – Mozambican Health Minister Ussene Isse has inaugurated a Public Health Laboratory in the southern province of Gaza, which is aimed at improving the province’s technological capacity to carry out scientific research and the training of health professionals.

The laboratory, which was funded by the Mozambican state, the Global Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is budgeted at 44.7 million meticais (about 700 thousand dollars at the current exchange rate). The laboratory has the capacity to process around 600 samples per eight hours of work.

According to the minister, Mozambique now has public health laboratories in all provincial capitals, with the exception of Maputo province and city. However, the geographical proximity of these regions is covered by the central public health laboratories, which are located at the headquarters of the National Health Institute (INS) in the municipality of Marracuene.

Isse explained that Gaza now has laboratory diagnostic capacity for outbreaks and epidemics.

“This will increase Gaza’s technological capacity to carry out scientific research activities, including the training of health professionals at provincial level. In addition to investment in state-of-the-art infrastructure, equipment and information systems, the laboratory is equipped with human resources trained in the areas of molecular diagnostics, laboratory testing quality, biosafety and bioprotection”, he said.

For his part, the director of the Global Fund’s Grant Management Division in Mozambique, Mark Edington, guaranteed that the laboratory represents a significant advance in the country’s ability to detect and respond quickly to community health issues.

“The Global Fund is proud to have supported this achievement, from funding to strengthening the health systems implemented by the UNDP, and our investment is guided by a shared commitment to building resilient and sustainable health systems”, he said.

The UNDP representative, Edo Stork, said that the Laboratory includes a continuous drinking water distribution system and is powered by solar energy.
(AIM)
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