CelebrateLAB West Africa, the largest gathering of Laboratory professionals from the ECOWAS region will take place in the Liberian Capital, Monrovia from April, 23- 24.

In its fifth year, CelebrateLAB is a professional meeting for laboratory scientists and policymakers who play vital roles in West Africa’s diagnostics and research environment.

The two-day event will bring together from the ECOWAS region, practitioners in public and private sectors, academia, policy makers, industry players focused on Laboratory System Strengthening (LSS), research scientists, pathologists, clinicians, vendors and suppliers.

This year’s event marks the inaugural West Africa sub-region wide conference of CelebraeLab. It is focusing on bio risk management in Africa. The program highlights the importance of better diagnostics to the region’s healthcare system. 

CelebrateLAB 2019 places a special emphasis on strengthening collaborations across West African borders and promoting public-private partnerships.

Conference Ambassadors are from Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and other parts of the sub-region.

Candace Eastman, CEO of Africabio Enterprises Inc., organisers of the event, says: “ensuring effective diagnostics and access to knowledge remain key in laboratory systems strengthening across the region.” 

The outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in the West Africa region in 2014 exposed the vulnerabilities of health systems in the region and brought to the fore the urgent need for collaboration and experience sharing for better health outcomes as populations move across borders.

"We have the ingenuity to take Africa's scientific destiny into our own hands for the benefit of humanity,” said Dougbeh Chris Nyan, M.D. Chief Executive & Scientific Officer, Molecular Pathogen Diagnostics, Shufflex Biomed.

CelebrateLAB continues to be the largest and only conference in the region held annually during the internationally acclaimed annual Lab Week that focuses on issues of importance to diagnostics. 

The conference provides an avenue for professionals and institutions from across West Africa to share experiences and build networks.

Nigerian Conference Ambassador, Air Commodore Edward Abayomi Akinwale (Rtd), said, “Laboratory medicine is the bedrock of modern medicine,” adding that “Quality practice is the centrepiece of laboratory medicine and the pride of its practitioners.”

He urged professionals in the laboratory system strengthening to join CelebrateLAB 2019 “ to raise the bar of laboratory practice in West Africa and beyond!”

Participants will be joining the World Health Organization, Liberia, Ministry of Health (MoH), Liberia, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), renowned laboratory scientists from the ECOWAS region and private sector entities, to provide added-value to the growth of better laboratory medicine.

Clarine Simpson Vaughn, Vice President of Africabio, says all is set for the 5^th CelebrateLAB conference.

“We are particularly excited about this year’s event as it offers a unique opportunity for industry professionals to learn about the most recent laboratory advances and innovations, connect with colleagues from across Africa and to contribute to strengthening African health systems.” 

For two days, CelebrateLAB West Africa will offer opportunities to further develop skills of Africa laboratory professionals, provide knowledge of the laboratory medicine landscape and needs in West Africa as well as increase awareness of areas to synergise efforts in laboratory system strengthening amongst private, public and philanthropic donors.

The conference will also facilitate networking among participants across West Africa borders, highlight the delivery of quality care and combating global health threats as well as promote effective laboratory skills in research.

There will be plenary sessions, keynotes, presentations, exhibitions, concurrent workshops and networking luncheons.