The West African Accreditation System (SOAC) has renewed the accreditation of the Mycobacteriology Laboratory at the  Centre Pasteur of  Cameroon (CPC) according to the ISO 15189 standard, following a successful external audit. This international recognition attests to the laboratory’s technical competence and confirms the quality, reliability, and compliance of its analyses with the highest standards in medical biology.

Granted for a period of four years, this accreditation comes with annual surveillance audits meant to ensure the maintenance of quality standards. The next audit is scheduled for August.
“This result is the outcome of collective work between the Quality Service teams, the Mycobacteriology Laboratory support services, and the top management of the CPC,” emphasizes Dr. Valérie Donkeng, head of the laboratory.

To date, the Mycobacteriology Laboratory at the Pasteur Center of Cameroon remains one of the few mycobacteriology labs in Cameroon accredited with ISO 15189. It plays a key role in the bacteriological diagnosis of tuberculosis, leprosy, Buruli ulcer, and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. Its activities also include antibiotic susceptibility testing, detection of resistance genes, molecular identification of mycobacteria, as well as conducting operational and basic research to better understand resistance mechanisms, transmission modes of these pathogens, and to develop new diagnostic tools.

This re-accreditation reflects the ongoing commitment of the  Centre Pasteur of Cameroon to excellence, continuous quality improvement, and innovation in the service of public health. Achieved in close collaboration with the National Tuberculosis Control Program (PNLT), it strengthens the CPC’s role in bolstering the national network of tuberculosis diagnostic laboratories and improving patient care.

More broadly, this recognition solidifies the Pasteur Center of Cameroon’s position as a reference laboratory in Cameroon and Central Africa in the fight against infectious diseases. It highlights its constant dedication to ensuring top-notch medical biology, meeting the highest international standards, and contributing sustainably to the health security of the population.