Pre & In service training

NHLS Learning Academy

The lack of trained healthcare workers poses an obstacle in scaling up access to treatment. In response to the increase in diagnostic and treatment demand, the NHLS is actively involved in the capacity building of a skilled laboratory workforce. The lab program has funded the NHLS Learning Academy and the University of Washington (ITECH) to support collaboration between the various institutions involved in the education and training of the medical laboratory workforce to enhance and improve the quality of the training programs to effectively align the academic, practical and market needs. Through support from the laboratory program, ACILT, a Centre Established in 2008, and recently integrated into the NHLS Learning Academy, focuses on improving the skills of laboratorians through the provision of in-service training courses. This program has to date trained over 1,400 participants from 40 countries, of which 30 of are from the African continent. An extensive list of key partners have contributed, and continue to contribute to the high quality training offered at ACILT and operate either through co-operative agreements with CDC Atlanta, and others such as Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), Roche Scientific, offer support through the mechanism of Public Private Partnerships (PPP).