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External Quality Assurance

UNHLS conducts & regulates regular comparison of a laboratory’s testing to a source outside the laboratory, a process known as EQA. This process ensures and assures laboratory customers (physicians, patients and health authorities) the ability of laboratory to produce reliable laboratory test results.


According to WHO (2011), Laboratory quality is defined as the accuracy, reliability and timeliness of a laboratory reported test results.  Laboratory measurements always presents some level of inaccuracy.  The challenge to is reduce the inaccuracy to as minimal as possible.  For laboratory results to be as accurate as possible, all aspects of the laboratory must be reliable, and reporting must be timely in order to be useful in a clinical or public health setting.


A laboratory test accuracy of 99% may appear adequate, but the resulting 1% in a large system, with many events presents large negative impact.


In order to achieve the highest level of accuracy and reliability, it is important to perform all processes and procedures in the laboratory in the best way possible.  Laboratory standards are developed to guide the laboratory attain highest possible accuracy and reliability.