SADCAS Attends Annual ZASCO Conference

SADCAS participated in ZINQAP’s Annual Scientific Conference from 3 to 4 October 2023 at Rainbow Towers Harare, Zimbabwe under the theme One health for Sustainable Health Solutions. One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. 

The conference was attended by over 100 delegates drawing presenters from local and regional institutions in the human, animal and environmental sectors. The SADCAS Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms Eve Christine Gadzikwa and SADCAS Medical Laboratories Scheme Coordinator, Ms Eva Muronda attended the 2-day conference.

SADCAS gave a presentation on exciting developments at SADCAS, the SADCAS CEO highlighted that one Health recognizes the health of people, animals, and the environment are interconnected and that the concept encourages multi-disciplinary collaboration to better understand and manage issues related to their interfaces.

She emphasised that the value of taking a One Health approach has been endorsed worldwide by international institutions and stakeholders, which call for enhanced inter-sectoral collaboration locally, nationally and globally to better understand and manage the health challenges faced today and attain optimal health for people, animals and environment.

Ms Gadzikwa further shared the SADCAS mandate and how accreditation is pivotal in the one health approach, ISO 15189:2022 Transition Policy which is published and available on the SADCAS website.

SADCAS had the opportunity to network with the various stakeholder at the event including accredited and applicant laboratories in both the human and animal sectors. The conference established a foundation for potential future partnerships with different organizations as Laboratories begin the accreditation process.