MoH launches CLIP to improve Ghana’s medical laboratory system

The Ministry of Health is working to improve the country's medical laboratory system through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Project (CLIP).

The goal of the project is to improve access to quality and affordable diagnostics services.

The Minister for Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, who disclosed this at the launch of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Project in Accra on Thursday, said the government acknowledged the important role strategic partnerships with the private sector could play in the expansion of health services and the improvement of service delivery through the sharing resources and risks.

He said the project would be undertaken in regional hospital laboratories or designated facilities in each region as selected by the Ministry and the Ghana Health Service.

According to the minister, the CLIP Ghana project aligns with the provisions in the National Health Policy (2020) and the National Health Laboratory Policy (2013) aimed at increasing geographical access to affordable health services and improving healthcare.

Mr Agyeman-Manu stated that the project was expected to develop the capacity of existing regional hospital laboratories to enable the laboratories to offer a broader range of laboratory services.

“This will curtail the agony patients go through by travelling across regions for some specific diagnostic services,” he emphasized

He hinted that the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Committee has granted conditional approval of the feasibility study report, which would pave way for the next stage of the project.

He assured stakeholders of the Ministry's preparedness to work with the private sector for the successful implementation of the project.