<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img src="/nairobi/PublishingImages/blood%20clots%20body%20image.jpg" alt="" style="margin: 5px;"/></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="white-space: unset;">Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH,N) has made history by becoming the first laboratory in Africa to receive accreditation for Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) within its accredited scope from the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This achievement was attained during the hospital's 14th consecutive successful SANAS re-accreditation, demonstrating its long-standing commitment to quality, patient safety, and excellence in diagnostics. The hospital first received the SANAS accreditation in 2011.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The inclusion of POCT within an accredited laboratory scope carries particular significance as the once considered niche activity is now a vital part of modern diagnostics. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">AKUH,N Chief Executive Officer Rashid Khalani said the accreditation, “directly enhances patient care by providing assurance that all laboratory testing and measurement processes meet internationally recognised standards of quality and competence."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“For patients, this means greater confidence that test results are accurate, reliable, and consistent — enabling clinicians to make timely and informed treatment decisions," he said.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By becoming the first SANAS-accredited laboratory in Africa to meet this standard for POCT, AKUH,N sets a new benchmark for diagnostic excellence across the continent. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Because SANAS accreditation aligns with global accreditation frameworks, patients benefit from healthcare services benchmarked against leading international standards, ensuring a quality of care comparable to that of world-class institutions," said Dr Shahin Sayed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">SANAS is the official laboratory accreditation body for South Africa, providing formal government recognition that an organisation is competent to perform specific tasks. Its accreditation certificates are internationally recognised through membership of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), meaning results from SANAS-accredited laboratories carry credibility across borders. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The SANAS accreditation is one of several internationally recognised quality distinctions held by the AKUH,N's Laboratory. The laboratory is also accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the Joint Commission International (JCI), the globally recognised leader in healthcare quality and patient safety standards. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These accreditations position the hospital's Laboratory among the most rigorously validated diagnostic facilities in the region.
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