Princess Zahra launches modern lab
Princess Zahra Aga Khan and the acting director of Curative Services at the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr Dorothy Gwajima, jointly launch the new state-of-the-art laboratory and a low-cost inpatient unit at the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam. PHOTO| COURTESY OF AGA KHAN HOPITAL
What you need to know:
- The new lab is part of Aga Khan Hospital’s expansion project which is estimated to cost around $80 million.
- The amount includes an extra $53.5 million as a loan from the French Development Agency. It has also acquired $26.3 million as a grant from the Aga Khan Development Network.
Dar es Salaam. Princess Zahra Aga Khan on Friday launched the new state-of-the-art medical laboratory and a low-cost inpatient unit at the Aga Khan Hospital here.
The new lab is part of Aga Khan Hospital’s expansion project which is estimated to cost around $80 million.
The amount includes an extra $53.5 million as a loan from the French Development Agency. It has also acquired $26.3 million as a grant from the Aga Khan Development Network.
The hospital is set to undergo expansion in its second phase by constructing a new 14,000 square metre wing.
The laboratory is designed to cater for routine and specialised tests within healthcare services, said the hospital management.
The facility will enable the Aga Khan Hospital to expand laboratory services by introducing advanced testing for blood transfusion, medicines, tuberculosis diagnosis, molecular biology laboratory tests and cancer diagnostics in the country.
According to Dr Omer Sherman, director of Laboratory at Aga Khan Hospital, the new facility has now been recommended for accreditation by internationally recognised organisations.
“The accreditation along with the already established quality management system and competent personnel will allow the hospital to provide comprehensive, appropriate, and timely investigations of the highest quality, serving our patients more effectively,’’ he said.
A 20-bed general inpatient low cost unit, which was inaugurated alongside the new lab, aims at increasing access to health services to patients in Tanzania.
According to Sisawo Konteh, chief operating officer, the unit, like other services in the hospital, will now provide the same quality care and international standards in terms of space, utilities and other aspects of management, clinical and support services.
