This week at the Karibe Hotel, Marie Gréta Roy Clément the Minister of Public Health has launched Haiti's first ever National Medical Laboratory Policy, the result of the work of a multidisciplinary team of experts, philanthropic organizations and academics operating both in Haiti and abroad, co-funded by the European Union and Fondation Mérieux for € 1.8 million.

This National Policy aims, among other things, to contribute to the diagnosis of diseases, disease prevention, patient follow-up, epidemic management, disease research and surveillance in order to have an efficient laboratory network in order to provide quality services for all to improve the health status of the population.

In her speech, Minister Clément declared "The national policy of laboratories is the set of strategy aimed at the improvement of health care" citing inter alia "the strengthening of the responsible entities, the setting up and the monitoring of the laboratory system, the introduction of regulatory texts for laboratories, the exercise of the profession and securing supplies."

Dr Lauré Adrien, Director General of the Ministry, said that a sovereign country must be able to control its health information underlining that "our performance will not only be evaluated in relation to the document drafted, but in relation to our ability to implement and enforce this policy."

Dr. Jacques Boncy, Director of the National Laboratory of Public Health recalled the role of the laboratory in the detection of certain epidemics in Haiti such as cholera, chikungunya, Zika and H1N1 influenza, allowing the Ministry to provide a relevant response adding that this "[...] national laboratory policy document is an indispensable tool for the emergence of a future that is both credible and attractive for the biomedical sector in Haiti."

Given the multi-sectoral nature of the medical biology analysis sector, other ministries such as Environment and Commerce will be involved in the implementation of this policy.

HL/ HaitiLibre