Lagos Deepens Healthcare Reform with Laboratory Quality Management Systems Drive
Lagos State, with the support of the Global Fund through the RSSH grant upgrades eleven (11) laboratories towards international standards
Lagos Deepens Healthcare Reform with Laboratory Quality Management Systems Drive
Lagos State, with the support of the Global Fund through the RSSH grant upgrades eleven (11) laboratories towards international standards
Lagos State has taken another decisive step towards laboratory strengthening with a renewed push to improve the quality of medical laboratory services across the state. The initiative, driven by the Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, reflects a broader commitment to delivering accessible, reliable, and high-quality healthcare in line with the administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.
At the centre of this reform is a strategic collaboration between the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) grant, funded by the Global Fund .The partnership aims to address longstanding gaps in laboratory quality management and generally to strengthen the health systems, ensuring resilience, sustainability, and improved healthcare delivery.
Eleven medical laboratories have been selected for the Quality Management System (QMS) scale-up programme (in addition to the ten laboratories in the first cohort), targeting measurable improvements in diagnostic accuracy, reliability, and turnaround time. The goal is to help these facilities attain at least a 3-Star rating under the World Health Organization’s African Region Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) by December 2026.
To kick-start the process, a five-day residential foundation training was held at Dover Hotel, bringing together laboratory professionals from both public and private sectors.
Participating facilities included:
Recovery Medical Diagnostics, Bimade Diagnostic Services, Sango Primary Health Care (PHC), PALM Avenue PHC, Epe PHC, IBA PHC, Iga Idugaran PHC, Ibijoke Sanwolu PHC, Orile Agege General Hospital (GH), Ifako Ijaye GH and Alimosho GH.
As part of efforts towards service integration, laboratory focal persons from the State’s TB, HIV and Malaria Programmes, were also present at the training to enhance laboratory services on their respective programmes.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the RSSH Team Lead, Dr Oluwatosin Ijimakinwa, commended the Lagos State Government for its sustained leadership in healthcare reform. She also acknowledged key figures, including the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Dayo Lajide and the Director Healthcare Planning Research and Statistics, Dr Oyenuga Olajumoke for their support in advancing laboratory standards.
Ijimakinwa urged participants to translate the knowledge gained into practical improvements in their respective facilities, emphasizing that the success of the programme depends on commitment at the facility level.
Also addressing participants, Abiodun Omoloja, Coordinator of the Global Fund Grant Management Unit, highlighted the diversity of the cohort, which included laboratory directors, laboratories from the public and private sectors, as well as the focal persons from tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria programmes. He stressed the importance of implementing action plans developed during the training to accelerate QMS institutionalisation.
In her remarks, the RSSH Laboratory Focal Officer, Aliu Omoh, encouraged participants to rise to the challenge and assured them of continuous technical support throughout the implementation phase.
The training also featured technical sessions facilitated by experienced professionals, including Oyenuga Oyebanji, Olufunmilayo Ojo, and Blessing Osazee Airiagbobu, who provided hands-on guidance on quality systems, documentation, and process improvement.
A highlight of the event was the celebration of Biomedical Science Day 2026, underscoring the critical role of laboratory professionals in modern healthcare delivery.
Top government officials and stakeholders were in attendance, including the Mrs Farri Adijat, the Director of Medical Laboratory Services(DMLS) Lagos State Health Service Commission, Mr Ojekunle Suraju Afolabi who represented Mr Toyin Ekundayo, DMLS Primary Health Care Board (PHCB), Mr Oyefule Babatunde, the State TB Quality Assurance Officer and all the district Directors of PHCB.
With this initiative, Lagos continues to position itself at the forefront of healthcare innovation in Nigeria, demonstrating that strengthening laboratory systems is essential to achieving better health outcomes and building public trust in medical services.