KHRC's Medical Laboratory Earns U.S. CDC Certification for Excellence in Serum Folate Testing

June 10, 2025 | News Feed | Reading time: 4 min

The Seth Owusu-Agyei Medical Laboratory (SOAML) at Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) has been officially certified by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its accurate testing of serum folate, a type of vitamin (folic acid) which is important for the health of mothers and babies. The certification, which is valid until April 2026, shows that the SOAML meets the same high standards as laboratories in the U.S. and other top research Centres.

In April 2025, KHRC's SOAML completed a test called the Method Performance Verification (MPV), which checks if the laboratory's results are both accurate and consistent. The SOAML passed with excellent results, which closely matched the CDC's own laboratory standards.

“This certification highlights KHRC's commitment to quality and excellence in laboratory science,” said Dr. David Dosoo, Head of the SOAML at KHRC. “It proves that our lab can produce trusted, high-quality results that meet international standards,” he added.

This achievement strengthens KHRC's position as a leading health research institution in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa. It also reinforces the laboratory's capacity to support public health efforts in micronutrient research, maternal and child health, and disease surveillance.

About the Seth Owusu-Agyei Medical Laboratory

The SOAML generates quality laboratory results to support studies and research projects conducted at KHRC. The laboratory is made up of eight (8) specialized units, including Bacteriology, Clinical Chemistry, Entomology, Haematology, Immunology, Bio-Analytic (formerly Micronutrients), Molecular Biology, Virology, and Parasitology. The SOAML currently has a team of 26 professionals, including 15 biomedical scientists, 7 medical laboratory technicians, and 4 laboratory assistants. It is equipped with advanced, state of-the-art equipment to deliver high-quality testing and analysis of samples, to effectively support the diverse needs of the research Centre.

To ensure that results generated from the lab are of high quality and are reliable, the lab participates in External Quality Assessments (EQAs) and performs daily, weekly and monthly internal quality controls on both equipment and reagents to ensure they are all working effectively. Learn more about SOAML:

Read the full paper here: https://www.kintampo-hrc.org/pages/laboratory.html