title: Implementation of a national external quality assessment program for medical laboratories in Burkina Faso: challenges, lessons learned, and perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The National External Quality Assessment (NEQA) program of Burkina Faso is a proficiency testing program mandatory for all laboratories in the country since 2006. The program runs two cycles per year and covers all areas of laboratories.
  
  
  METHODS
  All panels were validated by the expert committee before dispatch under optimal storage and transport conditions to participating laboratories along with report forms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Performance in the last 5 years varied by panel, with average annual performance of bacteriology panels for all laboratories rising from 75% in 2006 to 81% in 2010 and with a best average performance of 87% in 2007 and 2008. During the same period, malaria microscopy performance varied from 85% to 94%, with a best average performance of 94% in 2010; chemistry performance increased from 87% to 94%, with a best average annual performance of 97% in 2009. Hematology showed more variation in performance, ranging from 61% to 86%, with a best annual average performance of 90% in 2008. Average annual performance for immunology varied less between 2006 and 2010, recording 97%, 90%, and 95%. Except for malaria microscopy, annual performances for enrolled panels varied substantially from year to year, indicating some difficulty in maintaining consistency in quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main challenges of the NEQA program observed between 2006 to 2010 were funding, sourcing, and safe transportation of quality panels to all laboratories countrywide.
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory Network of Burkina Faso, 01 PO Box 7009, Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso; jsakande@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakandé
authors.forename: Abdoulaye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikièma
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kabré
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sawadogo
authors.forename: Eric W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Nacoulma
authors.forename: Mamadou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanou
authors.forename: Lassana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sangaré
authors.forename: Rasmata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Traoré-Ouédraogo
authors.forename: Mamadou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawadogo
authors.forename: Guy Michel
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Gershy-Damet
mesh_terms: D002050:Burkina Faso; D003906:Developing Countries; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D059021:Laboratory Proficiency Testing / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Burkina Faso; External quality assessment; Laboratory network