Advancing Biobank Quality in Africa: From Assessment to Accreditation
24th April, 2026: Kampala.
A recent internal audit of the National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services (NHLDS) Biobank (20–24 April 2026) represents a strategic step toward strengthening biobanking systems in Uganda and across the continent.
Conducted under the Africa Biobanking Network Initiative led by Africa CDC, this effort aligns with broader regional priorities to standardize and elevate biospecimen quality for research and public health.
Benchmarking against ISO 20387:2018, the audit assessed critical domains including sample processing, storage, data governance, and quality management systems.
Strategic insights:
A foundational quality management system is operational
16 non-conformities identified (5 major, 11 minor) alongside 23 opportunities for improvement.
What this means:
This audit moves the biobank beyond compliance checks to system strengthening and continuous quality improvement. Closing identified gaps and improving documentation and quality controls will position the biobank for ISO 20387 accreditation—unlocking greater credibility, interoperability, and participation in global research partnerships.
The bigger picture:
This milestone underscores Uganda’s growing leadership in biobanking and advances a continental vision for harmonized, high-quality biorepositories. Achieving accreditation will not only improve data integrity and specimen reliability but also build trust, attract investment, and strengthen Africa’s voice in global health research.
#Biobanking #ISO20387 #AfricaCDC #QualitySystems #GlobalHealth #ResearchInfrastructure #DataIntegrity
