Garissa County Teaching and Referral Hospital has strengthened its diagnostic capacity through a wide range of specialised medical laboratory services aimed at supporting faster, accurate and timely patient care.
Head of Laboratory Services Evans Odhiambo said the facility offers diagnostic services across several disciplines, including haematology and blood transfusion, clinical chemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, parasitology and immunology.
Among the key investigations available are kidney and liver function tests, bone chemistry, pancreatic function tests, cancer markers, thyroid function tests, lipid profiles and fertility hormone testing.
The laboratory also conducts culture and sensitivity testing, hepatitis A, B and C screening, drug-of-abuse screening, cardiac markers, CMV and Tacrolimus testing, as well as specialised investigations such as Anti-CCP, ANA/ANF, Alpha-Fetoprotein and D-Dimer.
Odhiambo said the laboratory is focused on generating reliable test results within appropriate turnaround times while maintaining patient-centred care and professional standards.
The facility also provides testing for tuberculosis (TB), Salmonella and Brucella, supporting the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases affecting patients across the region.
The hospital is the last of the former provincial general hospitals lined up for Level 6 status and already serves patients from Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Tana River, Isiolo and parts of Marsabit, with referrals also coming from Lamu and Kitui.
The laboratory is accredited by the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), the national accreditation body responsible for assessing and formally recognising organisations that provide testing, inspection, certification, calibration and other conformity assessment services.
“It also operates under a Quality Management System designed to promote good laboratory practice, accuracy and consistency in testing,” Odhiambo said.
He said the laboratory uses appropriate standard technology and relies on competent staff to produce dependable patient reports that support clinicians in making informed treatment decisions.
“The laboratory is located in the first building of the hospital’s administration block and operates Monday to Sunday, including public holidays, 24/7,” he added.
The expansion of specialised laboratory services has strengthened the hospital’s role as a teaching, specialist care and referral facility serving patients across Northern Kenya.
The hospital currently handles a heavy patient load, recording about 10,600 new outpatient visits and 1,070 admissions each month, alongside high bed occupancy.
President William Ruto is expected to formally elevate the facility to Level 6 national referral status following two successful public participation forums held in Garissa.
Kenya currently has six public Level 6 hospitals, including Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
