NIP promises more localised tests
Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) CEO Kapena Tjombonde last week announced the organisation's five-year strategic plan that will see the development of a specialised centre where tests will be localised for Namibians and the broader Southern African Development Community.
She said although not many Namibians know which tests and services are offered at NIP, it provides services to 80% of the country.
"Though the journey thus far has been turbulent, we remain focused on improving operational efficiency. We are creating a future-fit NIP with a primary focus on people, process and technology,” the CEO noted.
“We have developed a web-based system that facilitates access to results on mobile devices. Recently, we placed 170 tablets at remote public health facilities to improve accessibility and an additional 209 tablets will be placed at more remote locations. This will bring the total number of tablets to 379," she added.
She further noted that the specialised ‘centre of excellence’ will allow for paternity and an array of other tests to be performed locally, saving on money for transportation and the turn-around time it takes for results to be ready.
The total number of DNA referrals from March 2022 to September 2023 totalled 257. NIP said it charges N$1 200 per test, but incurs all the costs involved with transporting these tests to and from its lab. "Because the cost cannot be quantified, localising it already guarantees saving lots of money," Tjombonde said.
Meanwhile, NIP spends just over N$4 million annually on scholarships, which the CEO said is expected to see a rise in pathologists in Namibia. Currently, Namibia has less than 10 qualified pathologists.
She said although not many Namibians know which tests and services are offered at NIP, it provides services to 80% of the country.
"Though the journey thus far has been turbulent, we remain focused on improving operational efficiency. We are creating a future-fit NIP with a primary focus on people, process and technology,” the CEO noted.
“We have developed a web-based system that facilitates access to results on mobile devices. Recently, we placed 170 tablets at remote public health facilities to improve accessibility and an additional 209 tablets will be placed at more remote locations. This will bring the total number of tablets to 379," she added.
She further noted that the specialised ‘centre of excellence’ will allow for paternity and an array of other tests to be performed locally, saving on money for transportation and the turn-around time it takes for results to be ready.
The total number of DNA referrals from March 2022 to September 2023 totalled 257. NIP said it charges N$1 200 per test, but incurs all the costs involved with transporting these tests to and from its lab. "Because the cost cannot be quantified, localising it already guarantees saving lots of money," Tjombonde said.
Meanwhile, NIP spends just over N$4 million annually on scholarships, which the CEO said is expected to see a rise in pathologists in Namibia. Currently, Namibia has less than 10 qualified pathologists.
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