By Wasike Elvis

 Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has reinforced its position as one of East Africa's leading healthcare institutions after its Directorate of Laboratory and Pathology Services successfully attained its third-cycle re-accreditation to the ISO 15189:2022 standard by the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS).

The prestigious re-accreditation follows a rigorous four-day external assessment conducted between June 23 and June 26, 2026, during which KENAS auditors evaluated the laboratory's quality management systems, technical competence, operational procedures, equipment, personnel, and compliance with internationally recognized standards for medical laboratories.

Following the comprehensive assessment, the laboratory received a recommendation for 100 per cent of the accreditation scope applied for, covering critical diagnostic disciplines including Haematology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunology, Parasitology, Bacteriology, Mycobacteriology, Blood Transfusion, and Histopathology.

The achievement marks another significant milestone in MTRH's journey towards delivering world-class healthcare and highlights the institution's unwavering commitment to quality, patient safety, and continuous improvement.

Medical laboratory services play a central role in modern healthcare, with clinicians relying on accurate and timely laboratory results to diagnose diseases, monitor treatment, detect infections, guide blood transfusions, and make critical clinical decisions. The renewed accreditation provides assurance that MTRH's laboratory services continue to meet globally accepted standards of accuracy, reliability, and competence.

Since becoming one of Kenya's first public referral hospitals to receive KENAS accreditation in 2018, the Directorate of Laboratory and Pathology Services has consistently maintained high-quality laboratory systems despite increasing patient numbers and growing demand for specialized diagnostic services.

Over the years, the laboratory has invested heavily in strengthening quality management systems, enhancing staff competence, adopting modern diagnostic technologies, improving turnaround times, and ensuring that patients receive dependable laboratory results that support effective medical care.

Speaking after the successful assessment, Director of Laboratory and Pathology Services Florence Tum attributed the latest achievement to the dedication, professionalism, and teamwork demonstrated by laboratory staff, technical personnel, and hospital management.

She noted that maintaining ISO accreditation requires continuous monitoring, regular internal audits, strict adherence to quality standards, staff training, equipment calibration, and a culture of continuous improvement.

"Our success is a reflection of the commitment, resilience, and professionalism of every member of our laboratory team. Sustaining international accreditation is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing journey that demands consistency, discipline, and teamwork," she said.

MTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr. Philip Kirwa congratulated the Directorate for maintaining internationally recognized standards and reaffirmed the hospital's commitment to delivering quality healthcare services to patients across Kenya and the East African region.

He described the re-accreditation as a testament to the hospital's dedication to clinical excellence and patient-centred care.

"This milestone demonstrates MTRH's unwavering commitment to quality healthcare, patient safety, and service excellence. It reflects our determination to ensure every patient receives accurate laboratory results that support timely diagnosis and effective treatment," said Dr. Kirwa.

He further noted that reliable laboratory services remain one of the most critical pillars of quality healthcare, influencing nearly every aspect of patient management, from disease diagnosis and monitoring to emergency care and specialized treatment.

The Kenya Accreditation Service assessment team also commended the hospital for sustaining a strong culture of quality despite the complexities associated with managing a busy national referral hospital.

KENAS Assessment Team Leader Julie Ochola praised the Directorate for maintaining robust quality management systems and consistently complying with the stringent requirements of the ISO 15189:2022 standard.

The ISO 15189:2022 standard is internationally recognized as the benchmark for quality and competence in medical laboratories. It sets rigorous requirements covering technical operations, staff qualifications, equipment maintenance, risk management, quality assurance, patient safety, document control, and continual improvement.

Achieving and maintaining accreditation assures patients, clinicians, researchers, development partners, and regulatory bodies that laboratory results produced by MTRH are accurate, reliable, reproducible, and accepted internationally.

The recognition also strengthens the hospital's role as a leading institution for medical research, specialized healthcare, postgraduate training, and referral services. MTRH serves millions of patients from across Kenya and neighbouring countries, making high-quality laboratory diagnostics essential in supporting complex medical care.

Hospital management said the renewed accreditation aligns with MTRH's broader strategic vision of transforming healthcare through innovation, evidence-based medicine, and continuous quality improvement.

As the demand for advanced diagnostic services continues to grow, the hospital remains committed to investing in modern laboratory technology, strengthening human resource capacity, and adopting international best practices to ensure patients continue receiving safe, efficient, and high-quality healthcare services.

The successful third-cycle ISO 15189:2022 re-accreditation is not only a recognition of past achievements but also a strong affirmation of MTRH's commitment to maintaining excellence in laboratory medicine and advancing healthcare standards in Kenya and the wider region.