Laboratory
- Laboratory
[Consultants][Tests][Quality Assurance]
The Nairobi Hospital laboratory consists of
the following sections: Histopathology, Cytology, Clinical Chemistry,
Haematology, Special Chemistry and Microbiology.
The laboratory performs over 200
different kinds of tests and about 20,000 tests per year, making it one
of the largest in the country.
The laboratory is committed to
providing accurate, analytical results, in the shortest possible time
and at a reasonable cost to patients. Laboratory reports are forwarded
to the wards or to the consultants as soon as possible. All test results
are confidential.
The laboratory remains open
twenty-four hours a day for any accidents and emergencies.
Above, a
doctor’s instructions are programmed into the Synchron clinical system
analyzer, which is used for cardiac, liver and renal tests. It is also
used to test for abnormal enzymes in the blood.
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Qualifications
The various laboratory sections are
directly supervised by qualified clinical pathologists who are expert in
their respective fields. These are:
1. Professor Aggrey
Nyongo – Anatomic Pathology (Cytopathology and
Histopathology)
A graduate of University of
Michigan, Class of 1977. Certified by American Board of Pathology
and a former Associate Professor at the University of
Nairobi.
2. Dr. Malkit
Riyat – Haematology and Blood Transfusion
A graduate of the University of
Nairobi and an MRC(Path) UK. Dr. Riyat is a former Senior Lecturer
at the University of Nairobi
3. Dr. Mirza, MB ChB;
MD
Is a graduate of the Royal College
of Physicians. A consultant in Microbiology and
Parasitology. Dr. Mirza was a Senior Lecturer at the University of
Nairobi.
4. Dr. Angela Amayo, MB
ChB; M.Med (Path)
Consultant in Clinical Chemistry,
Senior Lecturer and Chairperson of the Department of Clinical
Chemistry, University of Nairobi.
5. Dr. Ndemo, BDS
D Pharm
Consultant in Therapeutic Drug
Monitoring and Toxicology. He is a lecturer in Pharmacy,
University of Nairobi.
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Tests for infections in the tropics
The laboratory is set up for rapid
and accurate diagnosis of common tropical infectious diseases.
These are malaria, typhoid, diarrhoeal diseases and
tuberculosis.
Above, a lab
technologist uses the BACTEC machine to read specimens for Tuberculosis
culture. The machine uses radiometric methods to detect the growth of
tuberculosis.
Some common
infections in the tropics include :
Typhoid
Fever: Symptoms of typhoid fever include chilly sensations,
headaches, loss of appetite, fever, diarrhoea and abdominal
pains.
During examination, the doctor will
obtain stool, urine and blood
specimens.Our laboratory is well equipped to
render culture and sensitivity of
Salmonella typhi, the bacteria that causesthis disease. The laboratory also carries out Scrological
tests.
Malaria is caused by a parasite known as P. Falciparum. Symptoms of
Malaria include high fever, headache and malaise. However, these symptoms
may also be manifested in other tropical infections thus accurate tests
are important to determine the disease causing these symptoms. Should
the parasite P. Falciparum be found, it is important to determine its
concentration in the patient’s blood.
Our laboratory is equipped with the
Qualitative Buffy Coat (QBC), a modern equipment that enables us to
carry out the necessary malaria tests within a very short period of
time.
The QBC has 98% accuracy and is
operated by our highly experienced technologists.
Above, a lab technologist tests
blood for Malaria parasites using the QBC technique
International Quality Assurance
Scheme
1. RIQAS – Randox International
Quality Assessment Scheme(London).
2. CDC – Centre for Disease Contro(USA).
3. NEQAS –National External Quality Assessment (London).
4. SAIMR – South Africa Institute of MedicalResearch (South Africa)
Working hours:
Monday to Friday: 8.00 a.m. – 8.00
p.m.
Saturday: 8.00a.m. – 4.00 p.m.
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