BMSZ2024 Scientific Conference and Professional Meeting

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Save the dateDecember 3 - 6, 2024 GMT+2 Add to Calendar

Venue Location

Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya Hotel

Mosi - Oa - Tunya Road
Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia

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Organizer

Organizer: Biomedical Society of Zambia

Phone: +260 979742202

Contact Person: David Hageltorn

Email: secretariat@bmsz.org

Ethical Compliance

The BMSZ2024 Conference has successfully undergone the rigorous assessment of the Conference Vetting System (CVS) and has been officially marked as compliant (Ref: EMT41527). The CVS, an independently managed system, evaluates third-party educational events against the MedTech Europe and Mecomed Codes of Ethical Business Practice. The compliance status underscores our unwavering commitment to excellence, transparency, and adherence to the highest ethical standards as we interact with our sponsors, partners and delegates. See vetting results.

President's Welcome

Dear Colleagues and Esteemed Guests,

With immense joy and anticipation, the Biomedical Society of Zambia (BMSZ) welcomes you to this year's conference themed "Strengthening Laboratory Systems: Resilience, Innovation, and Partnerships." Robust and adaptable laboratory systems are more critical than ever in a world grappling with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, climate change, and evolving healthcare needs. The theme resonates deeply with our times as we recognize laboratory systems' pivotal role in advancing healthcare amidst rapid change and unprecedented challenges.

We can't rely on once-off successes. The question is: How can we build resilience into our laboratory systems, ensuring they can rise to any clinical need and public health threat in the distant future? The need to forge strategic partnerships and embrace innovative approaches has never been more critical. This conference provides an invaluable platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, networking, and fostering collaborations that will propel our profession forward and positively contribute to the world, aligning perfectly with BMSZ's shared vision "to be an impactful laboratory voice for a healthier world."

Our annual scientific conferences are pivotal events that unite local and international experts, senior government officials, regulators, industry leaders, and training institutions to address critical issues in laboratory medicine. We are genuinely excited about the discussions, presentations, and interactions that will unfold at this conference. We believe they will inspire all of us to push the boundaries of what's possible in laboratory systems and networks.

We are also thrilled to share that our invited speakers have been meticulously chosen to ensure that we all remain at the forefront of the biomedical field, equipped with knowledge about the latest advancements in our prestigious profession. This carefully curated selection of experts will help us all stay ahead of the curve in our rapidly evolving field.

To our sponsors and partners, thank you for your unwavering dedication and commitment to the Biomedical Society of Zambia's work. You are living examples of the partnerships that are essential for any meaningful human advancement.

We eagerly anticipate an enriching conference experience for all of us! Welcome to BMSZ2024!

Regards,

Mutale Mubanga

President | Biomedical Society of Zambia

Agenda

Day 1
December 3, 2024
Day 2
December 4, 2024
Day 3
December 5, 2024
Day 4
December 6, 2024

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Registration/Breakfast
Registration/Breakfast
8:30 AM - 8:50 AM
Welcome
Welcome
1. Mutale Mubanga | President, BMSZ, Zambia

2. Olajumoke Oladipo | Chair, ADLM Africa Working Group
8:50 AM - 9:35 AM
Quality Control: Current Practice in Zambia
Quality Control: Current Practice in Zambia
9:35 AM - 10:35 AM
Quality Assessment Strategies: Internal Quality Control
Quality Assessment Strategies: Internal Quality Control
Roa Harb, MD.
Consultant, Clinical Chemistry at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
10:35 AM - 10:50 AM
Health Break
Health Break
10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
Quality Assessment Strategies: External Quality Control and Alternative Assessment Procedures
Quality Assessment Strategies: External Quality Control and Alternative Assessment Procedures
Anthony Okorodudu, PhD, DABCC, FADLM
Professor, Director, of Clinical Chemistry Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA
11:50 AM - 12:50 PM
Quality Improvement Strategies: Quality Indicators and patient-based quality control methods
Quality Improvement Strategies: Quality Indicators and patient-based quality control methods
Roa Harb, MD.
Consultant, Clinical Chemistry at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
12:50 PM - 1:50 PM
Lunch
Lunch
1:50 PM - 2:50 PM
Method Selection/Verification and Validation
Method Selection/Verification and Validation
Anthony Okorodudu, PhD, DABCC, FADLM
Professor, Director, of Clinical Chemistry Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA
2:50 PM - 3:50 PM
Reference Intervals/Results Reporting
Reference Intervals/Results Reporting
Roa Harb, MD.
Consultant, Clinical Chemistry at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
3:50 PM - 4:20 PM
Health Break
Health Break
4:20 PM - 5:10 PM
Case Studies (Groups)
Case Studies (Groups)
5:10 PM - 5:40 PM
Case discussions and Wrap-up
Case discussions and Wrap-up
Roa Harb and Tony Okrodudu
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions
Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Fostering Innovation in Laboratory Diagnostics
Fostering Innovation in Laboratory Diagnostics
Point-of-care testing and its impact on healthcare delivery.

Molecular diagnostics and genomics for disease surveillance.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in laboratories.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Health Break
Health Break
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Partnerships for sustainable laboratory systems
Partnerships for sustainable laboratory systems
Public-private partnerships for laboratory systems and network.

Academic and industry partnerships for research and development.

Engaging civil society and communities in laboratory services.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch
Lunch
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Building Resilient Laboratory Systems
Building Resilient Laboratory Systems
Disaster preparedness and response in laboratory settings.

Strengthening supply chains and resource management.

Quality management systems, Biosafety and Biosecurity for resilience.

The role of technology in ensuring laboratory continuity.
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Sponsor exhibitions
Sponsor exhibitions
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions
Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
One Health Approach to Laboratory Systems:
One Health Approach to Laboratory Systems:
Zoonotic disease surveillance and the role of laboratories.

Antimicrobial resistance monitoring and the One Health perspective.

Environmental health and laboratory testing.

Practical approaches for integrating human, animal, and environmental health sectors in laboratory systems and networks.
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Laboratory Workforce Development and Capacity Building
Laboratory Workforce Development and Capacity Building
Training and mentorship programs for laboratory professionals.

Career development pathways for laboratory professionals

Addressing workforce shortages and skill gaps.

Leadership and management training for laboratory professionals.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch
Lunch
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Laboratory Policy and Regulation
Laboratory Policy and Regulation
Harmonization of laboratory standards and guidelines.

Regulatory frameworks for laboratory medicine.

Emerging ethical issues in laboratory practice.
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Sponsor Messages and Exhibitions
Sponsor Messages and Exhibitions
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Welcome Tea and Exhibition
Welcome Tea and Exhibition
8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
BMSZ Annual Professional Meeting
BMSZ Annual Professional Meeting
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Lunch and Exhibitions
Lunch and Exhibitions
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Awards Gala Dinner
Awards Gala Dinner

Featured Speakers

Zaza Ndhlovu

Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School

Zaza Ndhlovu

Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School

Zaza works on cellular immune responses to HIV-1, with the ultimate goal of finding a phenotypic target for an HIV vaccine. His research programme includes studies geared towards understanding initial events that contribute to immune dysfunction and subsequent disease progression. He uses excisional lymph node samples from acute and chronic HIV-infected patients to interrogate how brief exposure to HIV influences induction and durability of protective immune responses.

Zaza received his PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology from Johns Hopkins University, and did his postdoctoral training at Harvard University. During this time, he studied CD8+ T cell responses in a special group of individuals capable of spontaneous HIV suppression in the absence of antiretroviral therapy – called ‘elite controllers’. He made significant discoveries about key features of HIV-specific CD8+ T cell subsets that can inhibit viral replication and drive immune escape in elite controllers.

After securing a Faculty position at Harvard University, he relocated his research program to South Africa. Zaza’s academic appointments include Member of the Faculty at Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Adjunct Faculty at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is also an HHMI International Research Scholar.

Lucy A. Perrone, PhD, MSPH

Donald B. Rix Professor of Laboratory Quality at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Lucy A. Perrone, PhD, MSPH

Donald B. Rix Professor of Laboratory Quality at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Lucy is a passionate, innovative leader of laboratory quality improvement programs and offers 18+ years’ experience building and leading multicultural, multi-disciplinary teams to strengthen health and laboratory systems.

Lucy was formerly the Director of Laboratory Systems Strengthening at the International Training and Education Center for Health and an Associate Professor of Global Health and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Washington. Since March 2022, Lucy is the Donald B. Rix Professor of Laboratory Quality, and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Lucy is currently the Chair of the ISO 17043 -accredited and ISO 9001 certified Canadian Microbiology Proficiency Testing Program (CMPT), and the Director of the Program Office for Laboratory Quality Management at the University of British Columbia where she leads the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine’s laboratory quality related programs. She holds a Bachelors of Biological Science from Fordham University, a Master’s of Science in Public Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and a Doctorate in Infectious Disease Pathology from the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Dr. Perrone is a passionate educator and a highly experienced designer and implementer of educational programs to produce competent laboratory professionals, transferring deep knowledge of infectious disease pathology, diagnosis, and disease surveillance, as well as corresponding practical interventions for optimal diagnostic testing service delivery at a national scale.

Nqobile Ndlovu, MPH

Chief Executive Officer at African Society for Laboratory Medicine

Nqobile Ndlovu, MPH

Chief Executive Officer at African Society for Laboratory Medicine

Nqobile, the Chief Executive Officer of the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), is a seasoned public health professional with over two decades of experience. He has successfully led continent-wide laboratory strengthening programs, advocating for the highest quality standards in public health laboratories. He has spearheaded laboratory strengthening programs not only in Africa but also in the Caribbean region. His career includes serving as the Program Coordinator at AFENET and as Assistant Field Coordinator for the Master in Public Health (FETP) training program at the University of Zimbabwe. He holds a degree in medical laboratory sciences and a master’s degree in public health, both earned at the University of Zimbabwe.

Roa Harb, MD.

Consultant, Clinical Chemistry at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Roa Harb, MD.

Consultant, Clinical Chemistry at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Roa is Assistant Research Physician and Associate Director of the Clinical Chemistry Fellowship Program at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland and Co-Director of External Quality Assessment Programs at Pathologists Overseas, Inc.

She completed her MD at the American University of Beirut and a Clinical Pathology residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Between 2014 and 2019, she served as the Director of the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory at Yale-New Haven Hospital where her scholarly interests included laboratory test utilization, clinical chemistry, and global health. Her previous experiences in global health include clinical pathology work in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Roa joined the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Clinical Center in August 2018. As a clinical pathologist in the department, she ensures high-quality testing in the general chemistry section of the laboratory and serves as a consultant to clinicians for test selection, interpretation, and troubleshooting.

Mweemba Muvwimi, MSc, BSc.

Assistant Director - Pathology and Laboratory Services of Ministry of Health, Zambia

Mweemba Muvwimi, MSc, BSc.

Assistant Director - Pathology and Laboratory Services of Ministry of Health, Zambia

Mweemba Muvwimi is a dedicated and accomplished Biomedical Scientist with three decades of experience in diagnostics, research and academia. He is currently serving as Assistant Director Pathology and Laboratory Services at the Ministry of Health – Zambia.

Prior to serving as Assistant Director, Mweemba worked as Head of the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, where he oversaw the implementation of the roadmap to accreditation and the introduction of molecular diagnostics for tuberculosis. He is a pioneer in establishing the Biomedical Sciences program at Rusangu University. He has previously worked as a lecturer and Head of Department for the Clinical Sciences program at Cavendish University Zambia. Mweemba has a Master of Science in Clinical Pathology from the University of Zambia and is passionate about the continuous growth of laboratory medicine in Zambia and beyond.

Wes Kim, PhD.

Director of Global Public Health Programs at American Society for Microbiology, USA.

Wes Kim, PhD.

Director of Global Public Health Programs at American Society for Microbiology, USA.

Wes Kim, Ph.D., is the Director of ASM's Global Public Health Programs, which build microbiology laboratory capacity in low-resource settings. Before joining ASM, Kim was a senior program officer at the Pew Charitable Trusts, where he led policy and advocacy initiatives to address challenges in antimicrobial resistance drug discovery.

Kim also spent 10 years as a management consultant at PRTM/PwC, supporting his clients in business strategy and operations in pharma/life sciences and global public health including business development, portfolio management, strategic partnerships, market assessments and product development.

Kim obtained his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and his MBA from the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Anthony Okorodudu, PhD, DABCC, FADLM

Professor, Director, of Clinical Chemistry Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA

Anthony Okorodudu, PhD, DABCC, FADLM

Professor, Director, of Clinical Chemistry Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA

Anthony O. Okorodudu, PhD, MBA, DABCC, FADLM, is currently the Scientific Integrity Officer for the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and a tenured Professor of Pathology. He is Director of Clinical Chemistry Division, UTMB/Texas Department of Criminal Justice Clinical Laboratories, and Pathology Client Services/Sample Management Division.

Dr. Okorodudu is an active member of the Association for Diagnostic & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) where he currently serves as a member of the editorial board for Clinical Laboratory News. From 2002 – 2006, he served on the ADLM Board of Directors, and he was the first chair of the Committee on Point of Care Testing for the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Mabel Charles-Davies

Associate Professor at University of Ibadan, Endocrinology Unit, Nigeria

Mabel Charles-Davies

Associate Professor at University of Ibadan, Endocrinology Unit, Nigeria

Mabel A. Charles-Davies is the President of the African Federation of Clinical Chemistry (AFCC). She is one of the pioneers of the AFCC, which was inaugurated in Ibadan in 2009, after which she served in various capacities within the board.

She is an Associate Professor and heads the Endocrine Unit in the Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She obtained her PhD in Chemical Pathology with a focus on reproductive endocrinology, which she handles with great passion. She has successfully supervised many undergraduate and postgraduate students and has over 65 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Mabel is the immediate past Head of Department - Biomedical Laboratory Science in the University of Ibadan. She has previously served as Secretary of the Association of Clinical Chemists of Nigeria (ACCN) and the IFCC National Representative (Nigeria) for many years. She also participated in the private sector as General Manager, Immunossay Nig. (Ltd.), Pioneers of Clinical Hormone Assay in Nigeria (now Clina Lancet Laboratories Nigeria).

Donewell Bangure, MSc

Epidemiologist | Laboratory Systems Expert at Africa CDC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Donewell Bangure, MSc

Epidemiologist | Laboratory Systems Expert at Africa CDC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Donewell is an epidemiologist with the African Union in the Laboratory Systems and Networks Division of Africa CDC. He has more than 15 years of work experience in public health laboratories and public health. He was among the first set of field epidemiologist responders for the African Union Support for Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) in 2014-2015 and one of the first epidemiologists to respond to the 9th and 10th Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018.

Before joining Africa CDC, Mr Bangure served for two years as Field Coordinator for the Zimbabwe Field Epidemiology Training Programme and as a Principal Medical Laboratory Scientist for 10 years with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe. He was part of the team of experts that conducted the Joint External Evaluation for Liberia and Afghanistan, which assessed their capacity under the International Health Regulations (2005) to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to public health threats. He played a key role in the response to the mudslide disaster that killed more than 500 people in Sierra Leone in August 2017. Mr Bangure is a graduate of the Africa CDC Fellowship programme and has expert skills in event-based and indicator-based surveillance and management of public health emergency response. In the past 15 years he has published more than 55 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health.

Eugene C. Bwalya, PhD, MSc, BVM.

Researcher and Snr Lecturer at University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine.

Eugene C. Bwalya, PhD, MSc, BVM.

Researcher and Snr Lecturer at University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine.

Eugene is the current Clinic Manager at the University of Zambia Veterinary Clinics and a Senior Lecturer/Researcher in the School of Veterinary Medicine teaching mainly medicine and surgery with over 15 years of field experience. He has worked with Africa CDC for more than 3 years as a facilitator/trainer of Laboratory Quality Management Systems (LQMS) using the One Health Approach having trained the Southern, Eastern, Western and Central Africa Regional Member States. He was also fully involved in the development, implementation and review of the current Africa CDC LQMS curriculum including the Africa CDC Laboratory Leadership Progamme curriculum.

As Clinic Manager, Eugene has been responsible for effective management of the university’s veterinary clinic and service laboratory, including coordinating and networking of referral laboratory and clinical services with private veterinary clinics and animal welfare facilities. He has successfully led the development and implementation of LQMS at the School of Veterinary Medicine in the Department of Clinical Studies Service Laboratory. He has vast experience in veterinary clinical consultation, teaching, research, laboratory diagnostic services, and drafting regulations and guidelines.

Eugene is the current Principal Investigator for ‘Integrated Rabies Surveillance and Control in Lusaka using Diagnostic Data from Road Traffic Accidents’ research. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Surgery (PhD) from Hokkaido University in Japan, a Master of Science in Parasitic Infectious Diseases (MSc) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Medicine (BVM) both earned at the University of Zambia.

Geoffrey Kwenda, PhD, MSc, BSc.

Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology at The University of Zambia School of Health Sciences.

Geoffrey Kwenda, PhD, MSc, BSc.

Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology at The University of Zambia School of Health Sciences.

Geoffrey Kwenda, holds an Honours BSc in Biomedical Sciences, an MSc in Molecular Biology and a PhD in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. He is an Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia. He served as the Assistant Dean for Research from March 2020 to 2024 and currently directs the Lusaka-Blantyre-Blantyre (LBB) Research Facility at the university. A foundational figure in the Department of Biomedical Sciences since 2001, he previously held the position of Head of Department from 2012 to 2017.

Prof Kwenda is a prominent leader in scientific and technological development in Zambia. He co-founded Antares Genomics Zambia and serves as Vice Board Chairperson of the National Technology and Business Centre (NTBC) under the Ministry of Technology and Science (2023 to present). Additionally, he contributes his expertise as a member of several influential advisory and working groups, including the Africa CDC Foodborne Diseases Surveillance Focus Group, the National Genomic Consortium, and the Antimicrobial Resistance Technical Working Group under the Ministry of Health. His role extends to the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Biosafety Authority and as a trainer and mentor in the Global Laboratory Leadership Training Programme (GLLP) since 2022.

Prof Kwenda’s research is dedicated to infectious diseases, with a primary focus on evolutionary genomics, molecular taxonomy, field ecology, bioinformatics, and experimentation. His overarching goal is to identify the natural reservoirs of infectious agents using a One Health approach. He is interested in human genetic diversity in Africa, exploring its significance for human ancestry and disease susceptibility.

Talkmore Maruta, PhD, MPH, MBA

Ag. Director of Programmes at African Society for Laboratory Medicine

Talkmore Maruta, PhD, MPH, MBA

Ag. Director of Programmes at African Society for Laboratory Medicine

https://aslm.org

Talkmore is the Acting Director of Programs, brings over two decades of distinguished expertise in public health and medical laboratory management. Dr. Maruta has contributed to the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), East Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC), and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

He received a 'Distinguished Leadership' award at ASLM2012 and was named the 'Best Employee' in the World Bank-supported Southern Africa TB Health Systems Strengthening (SATBHSS) in 2019. He holds a PhD in Public Health, an MPH, an MBA, a BSc (Hons) in Medical Laboratory Sciences, and a Master’s in International Affairs and Diplomacy.

Sepiso K. Masenga, PhD, MSc, BSc. (Associate Professor at Mulungushi University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Zambia)

Sepiso K. Masenga, PhD, MSc, BSc.

Associate Professor at Mulungushi University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Zambia

Nyambura Moremi, PhD, MD

Director of National Public Health Laboratory, Tanzania.

Nyambura Moremi, PhD, MD

Director of National Public Health Laboratory, Tanzania.

Nyambura is a Clinical Microbiologist and the Director of the Tanzania National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), with over a decade of experience in clinical practice, infectious disease research, program management, and laboratory systems strengthening. She has served as a consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), Ending Pandemics, and SACIDS Foundation. Her expertise spans the One Health approach, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), laboratory policy and strategic plan development, and laboratory systems strengthening.

Nyambura is a member of the National AMR Multisectoral Coordinating Committee, the National AMR Technical Working Group, and the Quality Assurance Committee of the Private Health Laboratories Board. She is actively involved in regional and global initiatives aimed at enhancing antimicrobial stewardship programs and strengthening bacteriology and mycology diagnostic capacities.

Nyambura earned her PhD in Clinical Microbiology through a prestigious sandwich program between the Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania, and Julius-Maximilian’s University of Wuerzburg, Germany. She is a passionate research scientist who has co-authored over 50 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Mwendabai Mulasikwanda, MSc, BSc.

National EQA Advisor at Pathology and Laboratory Services, Ministry of Health

Mwendabai Mulasikwanda, MSc, BSc.

National EQA Advisor at Pathology and Laboratory Services, Ministry of Health

Mwendabai Mulasikwanda is an External Quality Assurance (EQA) Advisor at the Ministry of Health, Zambia. She is a Biomedical Scientist by profession and is completing an MSc in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Lusaka. With over eight years of experience in the medical laboratory sector, Mwendabai has been instrumental in advancing quality assurance in Zambia's healthcare system.

She spearheaded the development of the national EQA framework for the Ministry of Health and has led the in-country EQA programme since its inception in 2022. Mwendabai’s expertise extends to quality management systems (ISO 17043, ISO15189 and ISO17025), method validation, laboratory information systems, and training of trainers in EQA methodologies.

Prior to her current role, Mwendabai worked in clinical laboratories as a biomedical scientist, including leadership roles such as district laboratory program officer. Mwendabai is passionate about strengthening quality management systems in laboratories and has been recognized for her contributions to the field, including being awarded Best Oral Presentation at the 2021 Quality Improvement Conference in Zambia. Her leadership and dedication to improving laboratory quality standards have seen her contribute expert input to EQA efforts in the region.

Sody Munsaka, PhD (Associate Professor at University of Zambia School of Health Sciences)

Sody Munsaka, PhD

Associate Professor at University of Zambia School of Health Sciences

Partners

Registration

Register to secure a spot at BMSZ2024."

BMSZ MEMBER

This ticket is for delegates whose membership for BMSZ is up to date.

ZMW3,000

INTERNATIONAL DELEGATE

Select this ticket if registering an international delegate.

$400

NON-MEMBER (LOCAL)

This ticket is for delegates who are not members of BMSZ but are working for an organisation in Zambia.

ZMW3,500

Fond memories

Watch last year's BMSZ2023 highlights here...

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Registration/Breakfast

Registration/Breakfast

Welcome

Welcome

Quality Control: Current Practice in Zambia

Quality Control: Current Practice in Zambia

Quality Assessment Strategies: Internal Quality Control

Quality Assessment Strategies: Internal Quality Control

Health Break

Health Break

Quality Assessment Strategies: External Quality Control and Alternative Assessment Procedures

Quality Assessment Strategies: External Quality Control and Alternative Assessment Procedures

Quality Improvement Strategies: Quality Indicators and patient-based quality control methods

Quality Improvement Strategies: Quality Indicators and patient-based quality control methods

Lunch

Lunch

Method Selection/Verification and Validation

Method Selection/Verification and Validation

Reference Intervals/Results Reporting

Reference Intervals/Results Reporting

Health Break

Health Break

Case Studies (Groups)

Case Studies (Groups)

Case discussions and Wrap-up

Case discussions and Wrap-up

Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions

Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions

Fostering Innovation in Laboratory Diagnostics

Fostering Innovation in Laboratory Diagnostics

Health Break

Health Break

Partnerships for sustainable laboratory systems

Partnerships for sustainable laboratory systems

Lunch

Lunch

Building Resilient Laboratory Systems

Building Resilient Laboratory Systems

Sponsor exhibitions

Sponsor exhibitions

Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions

Welcome Tea and Sponsor Exhibitions

One Health Approach to Laboratory Systems:

One Health Approach to Laboratory Systems:

Laboratory Workforce Development and Capacity Building

Laboratory Workforce Development and Capacity Building

Lunch

Lunch

Laboratory Policy and Regulation

Laboratory Policy and Regulation

Sponsor Messages and Exhibitions

Sponsor Messages and Exhibitions

Welcome Tea and Exhibition

Welcome Tea and Exhibition

BMSZ Annual Professional Meeting

BMSZ Annual Professional Meeting

Lunch and Exhibitions

Lunch and Exhibitions

Awards Gala Dinner

Awards Gala Dinner

Zaza Ndhlovu

Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School

Lucy A. Perrone, PhD, MSPH

Donald B. Rix Professor of Laboratory Quality at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Nqobile Ndlovu, MPH

Chief Executive Officer at African Society for Laboratory Medicine

Roa Harb, MD.

Consultant, Clinical Chemistry at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Mweemba Muvwimi, MSc, BSc.

Assistant Director - Pathology and Laboratory Services of Ministry of Health, Zambia

Wes Kim, PhD.

Director of Global Public Health Programs at American Society for Microbiology, USA.

Anthony Okorodudu, PhD, DABCC, FADLM

Professor, Director, of Clinical Chemistry Division, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA

Mabel Charles-Davies