The Ministry of Health and Population has announced that the Technical Proficiency Testing Unit at the Central Administration of Laboratories, affiliated with the Preventive Medicine and Public Health Sector, has been granted accreditation by the Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC) in accordance with the international standard ISO/IEC 17043 for clinical microbiological proficiency testing.

This accreditation represents a significant milestone in strengthening the national laboratory quality infrastructure and reflects the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the reliability, accuracy, and credibility of diagnostic laboratory services across the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, expressed his appreciation for this distinguished achievement, extending his congratulations to the laboratory teams and the Preventive Medicine Sector for their successive accomplishments, which directly contribute to safeguarding public health and improving healthcare outcomes for Egyptian citizens.

For his part, Dr. Amr Kandil, Deputy Minister for Preventive Medicine, emphasized that obtaining accreditation under ISO/IEC 17043 enables public health laboratories not only to participate in proficiency testing schemes but to design, produce, and administer accredited proficiency testing programs. This advancement allows laboratories to issue accurate and scientifically robust comparative performance reports and to provide continuous technical support to participating laboratories nationwide. Consequently, this strengthens laboratory performance, enhances diagnostic reliability, and increases confidence in laboratory test results across all governorates.

Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, stated that this accomplishment reflects the Central Laboratories’ firm commitment to implementing the highest international standards of precision, impartiality, and reliability. He further affirmed that the accreditation demonstrates the competence and technical capability of laboratory personnel in delivering accurate and dependable analytical results that support national health security objectives.

It is worth noting that the Central Laboratories have already obtained ISO 15189 accreditation for more than 200 clinical tests, in addition to ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for testing in the fields of food, water, and narcotics analysis. These recognitions form part of the Ministry’s continuous efforts to reinforce preventive surveillance systems, improve quality management frameworks, and ensure the provision of high-standard healthcare and laboratory services aligned with internationally recognized best practices.

The newly granted accreditation under ISO/IEC 17043 further consolidates Egypt’s position in advancing laboratory excellence and underscores the pivotal role of accredited proficiency testing providers in maintaining the technical competence and ongoing performance verification of medical laboratories nationwide.