DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY DEPARTMENT
Diagnostic Laboratory Department plays a critical role in providing timely and high quality laboratory services to all patients referred to MNH-MLOGANZILA and also to private patients (those without referrals).
Diagnostic Laboratory Department comprises 7 units namely:
- Histopathology
- Microbiology
- Parasitology
- Hematology
- Blood Transfusion
- Clinical Chemistry
- Mortuary
All laboratory units with exception of Mortuary unit are located within the Clinical and Anatomical Pathology Laboratory (CAPL) building located in the first floor. All units in this department are computerized and results are posted in HIS System for clinicians to view on line in the wards or clinics.
The unit has both, modern automated tissue processing and tissue staining machine which, in conjunction with best management practices, produces quality results for biopsies, Cytology samples processed and reported such as Pap smears, Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA), fluid Cytology, Exfoliative Cytology samples, Buccal smears for Barr bodies and Seminal fluid analysis for infertility investigations.
This unit has Bactec FX blood culture system for blood culture, highly sensitive bacterial identification system, Antibiotic susceptibility testing and Serological tests which employ highly sensitive kits aimed at target decision making by the clinicians. Also unit has Gene Xpert machine for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis detection in sputum samples as well as detection of Rifampicin resistance.
This unit is responsible for diagnosis of most parasitic organisms in urine, stool and blood. For malaria diagnosis both rapid and conventional test methods are applied. Other tests done in this unit includes Bence Jones proteins and Occult blood in stool.
Haematology unit is responsible for analyzing samples of patients requested by clinicians such as full blood picture (FBP) in anemic patients to find out the cause of anemia, Erythrocyte Segmentation Rate (ESR) and other tests for blood related diseases including blood cancers. Hematology Unit is equipped with Analyzer for FBP and Coagulation, other than routine tests in hematology this laboratory has strengths in analyzing coagulation studies for Factor VIII, Factor IX, Prothrombin Time (PT), Partial Prothrombin Time, Bone Marrow Aspiration smears and trephine biopsies as it is manned by highly qualified hematologists.
Blood Transfusion Unit deals with pre and post donation counseling of blood donors and collection of blood units from voluntary and replacement donors, this section is also the one responsible for issuing safe and screened blood and blood components to all patients in need of blood/blood components within the hospital including patients requiring emergency and elective surgeries.
This unit has fully automated machines including Architect i1000SR and Maglumi 800 machine capable of analyzing immunological, hormonal assays and cardiac enzymes and Biotecnica (BT 3500) machine capable of analyzing metabolic tests and results for all these tests are viewed immediately online by clinicians through laboratory information system (LIS) that is interfaced with hospital information management system (HIMS), the HIS System.
This unit has 6 modern fridges which can preserve 35 bodies at a time and embalming of bodies is done by qualified staffs.
