Lira Regional Referral Hospital Satellite Laboratory has expanded its internationally accredited laboratory tests from 14 to 51 following the accreditation of 37 additional tests by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), marking a major milestone in efforts to improve diagnostic services in northern Uganda.

The achievement followed a reassessment conducted on October 6 and 7, 2026, and was announced by hospital management during the Hospital Parliament on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

The expanded accreditation scope strengthens the laboratory’s capacity to provide reliable diagnostic services in line with internationally recognised quality and competence standards, potentially reducing the need for patients to seek specialised testing outside Uganda for tests covered by the accreditation.

Addressing the Hospital Parliament, Senior Executive Consultant Dr Andrew Odur described the development as a strong vote of confidence in the hospital’s ability to deliver high-quality laboratory services.

Dr Odur said the expanded accreditation enhances the hospital’s standing as a centre for reliable diagnostic testing and strengthens its preparedness to support Uganda’s readiness for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The newly accredited tests cover several areas of laboratory diagnostics, including urinalysis chemistry, tuberculosis urine LAM testing, serum glucose, urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), haemoglobin (HGB) and immature granulocytes (IMG), among others.

These tests support the assessment of different health conditions, including kidney and liver function, blood glucose levels, blood cell counts and tuberculosis-related diagnostic needs. Their inclusion in the laboratory’s accredited scope provides additional assurance of the quality of testing for the services covered.

The SANAS assessment team, led by Head of Delegation Nontando Glacia Moeketsi, confirmed that the assessment was conducted in accordance with ISO 15189:2022, an international standard specifying quality and competence requirements for medical laboratories.

Moeketsi attributed the achievement to the laboratory’s use of appropriate technologies, the competence of its personnel and the implementation of a sustained quality management system.

She said accreditation demonstrates that the laboratory has the systems, technology and expertise required to produce reliable diagnostic results that meet international standards.

According to Moeketsi, the international recognition gives patients and healthcare providers greater confidence in results generated by the facility, eliminating the need to send samples abroad for tests covered by the laboratory’s accredited scope.

The expansion builds on the laboratory’s existing accreditation and reflects continued efforts to strengthen the quality and reliability of diagnostic services available at Lira Regional Referral Hospital.

The Lira Regional Referral Hospital Satellite Laboratory Manager, Benard Ongora, reaffirmed the facility’s commitment to maintaining high standards of quality, accuracy, reliability and timely delivery of laboratory results.

Ongora commended hospital management for providing the resources and institutional support that enabled the laboratory to achieve the milestone.

He pledged that the laboratory would continue strengthening its quality assurance systems and professional capacity to maintain accreditation and ensure that patients receive dependable diagnostic services.

The expanded accreditation is an important development for laboratory services at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, with the potential to improve access to internationally recognised testing and strengthen confidence in diagnostic results among patients and healthcare providers.