News and Resources
Enhancing Malaria Diagnostics Capabilities: Walter Reed Program-Nigeria Trains 24 Medical Laboratory Scientists
Medical laboratory scientists at the training
As part of efforts to equip medical laboratory scientists with essential skills to improve accurate diagnoses of malaria in Nigeria, the Walter Reed Program-Nigeria (WRP-N) recently concluded a 10-day malaria microscopy training for 24 medical laboratory scientists selected from Kebbi, Bauchi, and Sokoto states.
The capacity-building activity conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme (NMOD-HIP) and the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) featured comprehensive classroom sessions, group discussions, presentations, and practical demonstrations. The topics covered during the training included parasite detection/speciation, malaria blood film preparation, and stain preparation, parasite morphology among others.
The training, which commenced on Monday, July 10, and was concluded on Friday, July 22, 2023, was facilitated by Patience Udefuna and Adeola Ajibade from WRP-N, Mary Adenuga, and Theresa Obende from NMOD-HIP, and Jide Bamiro from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and Tunde Oyebami from the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board.
With support from the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) through the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), WRP-N carries out capacity-building activities aimed at improving the accuracy of malaria diagnosis in 11 states in Nigeria. Between 2012 and now, over 1800 medical laboratory scientists have been successfully trained to accurately diagnose malaria at healthcare facilities in Nigeria.