Military hospital lab gets 4 Star rating

The laboratory equipment of Rwanda Military Hospital has risen from one star to 4-star status, within a period of one year.This came out of an assessment by World Health Organization (WHO), which found the laboratory with everything on the checklist for hospitals that qualify for the 4-star status.Among the assessors were officials from American Society of Clinical Pathology, and after receiving the results, the ministry of health confirmed the laboratory as a four star.This is a star lower that the highest that can be awarded, five stars.Among the items on the checklist included equipment, management reviews, client management and customer care, internal audit, facilities and safety corrective action and others.According to Capt Athere Murangwa, a biomedical technologist who heads the Laboratory Department, the facility was at 0 star back in 2010 but has grown tremendously due to the efforts of the management and staff.“In 2011, we were given a gap analysis of what was lacking for us to improve. We analysed it and intensified efforts through building capacity, bring in more equipment and offer quality services to our clientele,” he said.The Military Hospital is among the only five hospitals in Rwanda with four star rating laboratories. The other four include King Faisal Hospital, Kigali Central Teaching Hospital of Kigali, National Reference Laboratory and Kacyiru Police Hospital.Rwanda has no facility with five-star status.Murangwa said that rehabilitation for the laboratory section will begin next month, therefore, leading to better and more space for new equipment.He noted that after rehabilitation, no doubt the laboratory will make it to five star during the next assessment.After rehabilitation, they will offer services such as DNA and hepatitis tests.The laboratory currently offers over 10 services and has 38 employees.The head of the Laboratory Department observed that the assessment was so helpful for them and has proven to them that they have good services, thus encouraging them to even improve further.