Medical Diagnostics
The African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) Conference is to Convene in South Africa
Available sources show that half of the world’s population lacks access to essential diagnostics services. However, in the world of medical research, patient care and disease prevention effective diagnostic and laboratory is decisive.
Cognizant of this hard fact, the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) in its 6th biennial conference (ASLM2023) to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 12 – 15 December 2023, is set to examine key issue head-on, seeking to elevate the quality, capacity, and resilience of laboratory systems and networks across the continent.
According to the society, the conference is expected to shape laboratory systems and diagnostic services across Africa for the 21st century. “As the world braces itself for the next pandemic and emerging health threats, the need for efficient and effective responses is paramount.”
The four-day agenda encompasses a range of topics, including: New technologies and innovations: Participants will gain insights into cutting-edge laboratory diagnostic technologies and innovations. Emerging infectious diseases and global health threats: The conference will examine the ever-evolving landscape of infectious diseases and global health threats.
Under the theme ‘Shaping Laboratory Systems and Diagnostic Services for the 21st Century: Embracing the Change,’ it will bring together experts from around the world to share their knowledge, experiences, and insights, fostering collaboration and innovation to tackle the pressing challenges facing laboratory medicine and African healthcare nowadays.
This conference will scrutinize strategies on how to strengthening laboratory systems and capacity and on how to enhance the resilience and capacity of laboratory medicine and healthcare in Africa and beyond.
Key issues in the medical diagnostics efforts like quality assurance and accreditation, workforce development and training , building a skilled workforce as well as other related topics will be discussed in the conference.
Topics such as role of private sector partnerships and Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotic technology, and computer science will also be tabled for discussion.
“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of laboratory networks and diagnostics in responding to infectious disease outbreaks has become clear,” the statement highlighted.
The lack of access to essential diagnostic tools and its challenges are particularly critical in Africa, where many countries grapple with a heavy burden of infectious diseases, compounded by the reality that low-income, rural, and marginalised communities have limited access to these resources, it said.
One of the greatest healthcare challenges for Africa is having enough trained healthcare workers to manage diagnostic tools effectively.
Some 50-70% of clinical decisions depend on accurate laboratory diagnosis, so having reliable diagnostic capabilities is critical.
Since its launch in 2012, ASLM conferences have played a vital role in emphasizing the significance of laboratory medicine and professionals in the healthcare sector in Africa.