Like in many countries in the continent, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed significant gaps in the health care system - one of them being lack of a Public Health Laboratory (PHL) in Unguja, Zanzibar.

Public Health Laboratories are cornerstone of health emergencies alert and response mechanisms. They provide the data required to detect, confirm, and monitor epidemic and pandemic events.

Without a Public Health Laboratory, Zanzibar had to send samples from COVID-19 suspects for testing in Dar es Salaam. “This was costly in multiple aspects. It inconvenienced COVID-19 suspects, including tourists who had to wait for a number of days for results.” observed Dr. Ali Nyanga, Director of Preventive Services in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children.

In responding to this gap initially, WHO worked with the health authorities in Zanzibar to capacitate the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital (a tertiary level facility) to be able to test for COVID-19. “Testing at Mnazi Mmoja was helpful but exerted enormous pressure on the clinical laboratory that is meant to deal with testing for routine patients and not dealing with outbreaks” said Dr. Nyanga.

Through financial support from the Switzerland Government and technical support from WHO, Ifakara Health Institute and CDC, a Public Health Laboratory was established at Binguni in Unguja.

WHO was instrumental in building capacity for SARS-CoV-2 testing through hands-on training to laboratory scientists and provision of molecular facilities. Since then, trained laboratory technicians have been deployed to the new Public Health Laboratory in Binguni and the Public Health Laboratory in Pemba.

“We decided to invest heavily on strengthening our capacity to test for COVID-19. We have, therefore, extended lab operations to the Public Health Laboratory in Pemba which was primarily for research and control of Neglected Tropical Diseases” said Dr. Nyanga.

The new Public Health Laboratory in Zanzibar was officially opened by the second Vice President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar in January 2022. Final delivery and installation of equipment is expected to be completed by March 2022 for testing to begin effectively. The new Public Health Laboratory has a capacity to test 1000 samples per 24 hours shift.