Medical testing plays a vital role in delivering effective healthcare services. However, remote communities in Ghana face significant challenges due to limited access to laboratory diagnostics.
To address this issue, Heart to Heart International has partnered with BD, a global leader in medical technology, and Millennium Promise, a nonprofit organization focused on disease diagnosis and prevention in Ghana.
The collaboration focuses on improving healthcare at two laboratory sites: Tontokrom and Dunkura. Together, we have developed a comprehensive strategy based on three key pillars aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of these laboratories.
- Infrastructure & Equipment: Procurement and installation of modern, high-quality laboratory equipment, in addition to significant infrastructure enhancements at the facilities in Tontokrom and Dunkura. These improvements aim to facilitate access to diagnostic testing and treatment.
- Training & Capacity Building: Comprehensive technical training for local laboratory staff on best practices in laboratory operations, including preventive maintenance and quality assurance measures, all to ensure operational excellence.
- Supervisory Support: Providing ongoing support to improve workflow processes, focusing on automating test orders and result reporting. Additionally, we are establishing a data analytics platform for real-time evaluation of testing and disease tracking. By sharing timely data with the Ghana National Health Authority, they will be better able to issue early warnings and quickly manage outbreaks. This supports effective management of both local and global health challenges.
This project has brought diagnostic testing in a community that previously lacked access to it. And, as our partners at Millennium Promise stated: “The completion of the Laboratory Block marks a transformational step in healthcare delivery for the community.”
We are grateful that BD continues to support innovative partnerships that enable us to work with trusted local organizations to break down barriers to health access.
Tena Tiruneh, Senior Vice President of Programs at Heart to Heart International, said: “This three-year initiative shows HHI’s dedication and effort in partnering with an organization to achieve program success. It also underscores our collaboration with like-minded corporations that are committed to the World Health Organization’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.”
We look forward to seeing how these interventions improve disease management and provide essential healthcare services to the community for years to come.
