The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), together with the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA‑HC) and the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), opened a five‑day workshop in Kenya on Monday, Oct. 19, to train animal health laboratory auditors and trainers.

Organisers say the programme will equip participants to assess laboratory performance, pinpoint weaknesses and guide facilities toward higher testing standards.

IGAD’s Head of Mission to Kenya, Ambassador Dr Fatuma Adan, stressed that preparedness must be built before outbreaks occur, through strong systems, competent staff and quality‑assured labs.

Kenya’s Deputy Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Romona Ndanyi, highlighted that the region currently has only nine certified animal health laboratory auditors, a figure insufficient for growing demands and exacerbated by retirements.

The shortage, Ndanyi warned, could force countries to rely on external specialists, raising costs and delaying assessments of both county‑run and national veterinary laboratories.

Participants from ten countries—including Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Rwanda, DRC, São Tomé and Príncipe, Malawi, Ethiopia and Burundi—will return home to train additional staff, creating a network of local auditors and reducing dependence on outside experts.

The training follows the QualiPATH Framework, which aligns with ISO/IEC 17025 standards to help labs measure progress, identify gaps and implement quality improvements, though completion does not guarantee international accreditation.

Senior IGAD medical epidemiologist Dr Waqo Gufu Boru noted that stronger animal‑health surveillance can detect threats such as Ebola, Marburg, Mpox, cholera and Rift Valley fever before they spill over to humans, reinforcing the One Health approach.

ECSA‑HC representative Dr Linus Odawo said the initiative complements ongoing efforts to strengthen human‑health laboratories, urging participants to share knowledge and maintain consistent standards across borders.

The workshop is part of the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa (HEPRR‑MPA), which seeks to boost regional capacity to detect and respond to health emergencies.