Kohima, January 24 (MExN): Impact of laboratory services in patient care is increasing as evidence-based medicine replaces clinical acumen in diagnosis of diseases. And as the patients’ right to quality service becomes a reality, diagnostic laboratories must respond by improving their quality and accountability. Thus there is a need for a monitoring mechanism where accreditation of laboratories by national and international is one way of ensuring improved laboratory service.
The Department of Microbiology, is the first laboratory in the whole of state of Nagaland to get NABL accreditation. NABL stands for National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories. It is the highest award for a Laboratory in quality testing in the Country & Internationally recognized as a quality testing lab. The Govt of India has authorized NABL as the accreditation body for testing lab. NABL is a registered body under the society’s registration act 1860. It operates as an autonomous body under the aegis of the Dept of Science & Technology ,(DST ) Ministry of Science & Technology ,Government of India. NABL has established its accreditation for medical lab in accordance with ISO 15189:2007
Microbiology Department, NHAK has the following various laboratories functioning: State Reference lab (SRL ) for HIV test; Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre (ICTC) lab; Serology lab; CD4 lab; Culture & Sensitivity testing lab.
Accreditation process was funded by National Aids Control Organization (NACO) & NSACS.
The department of Microbiology has received the highest form of achievement for a medical lab where a systematic approach to check the quality of the laboratory follows the workflow through pre-analytic, analytic and post-analytic phase.The laboratory generate results that is accepted nationally and internationally, thus there is saving in time and money due to reduction or elimination for re-testing. Quality services is rendered to the clients as the laboratory regularly carries out External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) for all laboratory test under dept of microbiology which is done with reputed and NABL recognize higher apex lab in the country. Daily internal controls for all the test is carried out and documented. Internal audit carried out quarterly. All equipments under the department were calibrated by an NABL accrredited calibration company.
Benefits of getting NABL Accreditation for a medical laboratory: Reports are accepted Nationally & International implying the concept that “once tested-accepted everywhere”; Assurance to clients of good quality lab practices; Increased confidence in testing reports issued by the lab; Provides global equivalence; Provides comparability in measurements; Clinicians can rely on the test results; Improves staff motivation; Saves money by getting it right at the first time; Better control of lab operations & feedback to lab as to whether they have sound Quality Assurance System & are technically competent; Public & industry acceptance; Customers can search & identify the lab accredited by NABL for their specific requirements from NABL website.
