title: Implementing Laboratory Quality Management Systems in Mozambique: The Becton Dickinson-US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Public-Private Partnership Initiative.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mozambique's ministry of health (MOH) recognized the need to establish a national laboratory quality assurance (NLQA) program to improve the reliability and accuracy of laboratory testing. The Becton Dickinson-US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was used to garner MOH commitment and train a cadre of local auditors and managers to support sustainability and country ownership of a NLQA program.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2011 to April 2012, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist and the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) curriculum were used in 6 MOH laboratories. PPP volunteers provided training and mentorship to build the capacity of local auditors and program managers to promote institutionalization and sustainability of the program within the MOH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SLIPTA was launched in 6 MOH laboratories, and final audits demonstrated improvements across the 13 quality system essentials, compared with baseline. Training and mentorship of MOH staff by PPP volunteers resulted in 18 qualified auditors and 28 managers/quality officers capacitated to manage the improvement process in their laboratories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLIPTA helps laboratories improve the quality and reliability of their service even in the absence of full accreditation. Local capacity building ensures sustainability by creating country buy-in, reducing costs of audits, and institutionalizing program management.
authors.affiliation: Division of Global HIV and AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Skaggs
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory Department.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Division of Global HIV and AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
authors.forename: Jessina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Masamha
authors.affiliation: Division of Global HIV and AIDS, International Laboratory Branch, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Turgeon
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique.
authors.forename: Eduardo Samo
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Gudo
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D009073:Mozambique; D009313:National Health Programs; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D011786:Quality Control; D058996:Quality Improvement; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Mozambique; PEPFAR; laboratory QMS; laboratory systems; public-private partnership