Health Ministry Elevates Malaria Diagnostic Capacity Through Refresher Workshop
Sia Lucy Kannah The Ministry of Health, through the Directorate of Laboratory, Diagnostic and Blood Services, in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Programme and with support from Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and AMREF, has concluded a five-day Malaria Diagnostic Refresher Training at the Parasitology Reference Laboratory in Lakka.
The training brought together 20 medical laboratory professionals from Freetown and the provinces to strengthen their knowledge and practical competencies in malaria diagnosis.
The training combined theoretical presentations, practical laboratory exercises, slide reviews, competency assessments, reporting exercises, and work-plan development, with particular emphasis on quality-assured malaria microscopy and complementary diagnostic procedures.
Key areas covered included malaria epidemiology and parasite life cycles, microscope use and maintenance, parasite morphology and species identification, blood specimen collection, preparation of thick and thin blood films, Giemsa staining, parasite counting, and the recognition of blood elements and artefacts that may affect diagnostic interpretation.
Participants also reviewed malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs), standard operating procedures, laboratory safety, and quality assurance principles. Pre-training and post-training assessments were conducted to evaluate competencies, identify learning gaps and inform plans for applying the skills acquired in participants’ respective laboratories.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Dr. Donald Grant stressed that accurate malaria diagnosis is fundamental to effective case management, sound clinical decision-making, appropriate medicine use and reliable national surveillance data. He commended the participants and expressed appreciation to the National Malaria Control Programme, CRS, AMREF, facilitators and resource persons for their collaboration and technical support. Similarly, Dr. Samuel William encouraged participants to apply the knowledge and practical skills acquired, uphold diagnostic quality standards, and share their learning with colleagues to strengthen malaria diagnostic services nationwide.
The Ministry of Health and its partners reaffirm their commitment to strengthening laboratory capacity and improving the accuracy and quality of malaria diagnosis as part of Sierra Leone’s broader malaria control and elimination efforts.