id	author	title	date	pages	extension	mime	words	sentence	flesch	summary	cache	txt
ajlm-195	Mataranyika, Mary N.; Beukes, Landine K.	View from the top: Involvement of Namibia’s health ministry in laboratory quality improvement	2014		.htm	text/html	1575	76	31	Accurate laboratory results improve medical interventions, minimise surgical and treatment errors, decrease the length of hospital stays and reduce the cost of hospitalisation.1 Weak reporting systems and delayed or inaccurate processing of test results contribute to increased morbidity and mortality from major diseases of public health concern, such as tuberculosis, malaria, cholera and HIV.2In 2012, Namibia’s Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), working with stakeholders from both the private and public sectors, developed Namibia’s first National Public Health Laboratory Policy3 and Strategic Plan4 (approved by the cabinet and launched in 2013) to guide the delivery of quality laboratory improvements and services. It would be advisable for the MoHSS to set up a national structure to audit and recognise laboratories; encourage development of innovative procedures and methods; allocate funding for equipment maintenance; and collaborate with accreditation bodies and other institutions in order to implement laboratory quality improvements.	cache/ajlm-195.htm	txt/ajlm-195.txt