The Aga Khan University Hospital Laboratory, Nairobi, Kenya has been awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP). The CAP accreditation is a global recognition for the excellence of the services provided by the Hospitals Laboratory.

Dr Zahir Moloo, Chair Department of Pathology and Medical Director of Laboratory Services was advised of this recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided.

“It has been a team effort since we began journey towards CAP Accreditation three years ago. The faculty and the technical team in the department are proud to be the first Hospital-based Clinical Laboratory in Africa to achieve such a high standard of recognition. This Accreditation will be rec certified every two years” said Dr Zahir Moloo.

Dr Shawn Bolouki, Chief Executive upon learning of the laboratory’s accreditation, said: “We are very proud as an institution to be awarded this accreditation a testimony of our commitment to the provision of high-quality patient care equivalent to the best hospitals in the world. Quality diagnosis is critical to positive patient care outcomes, and this CAP accreditation is a validation of our laboratorys capability which serves patients from across East Africa and Central. We appreciate and congratulate all our staff for their hard work towards this achievement.”

During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years.

CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record, and overall management.
CAP accreditation is one of many firsts for the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.

In July 2003, AKUH became the first hospital in East Africa to be awarded the prestigious ISO 9001:2000 (now ISO 9001:2008) by the International Organization for Standardization, which is awarded to organisations that are found to conform fully to standards set for quality management systems.

In 2013 AKUH attained the coveted internationally recognised Joint Commission International accreditation that is recertified every three years, a first in East and Central Africa, affirming the hospital’s commitment to achieve is its vision as the leading teaching and tertiary healthcare institution in sub-Saharan Africa.