AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Chief Government Chemist (CGC) said there are challenges of mishandling samples especially involving criminal offences, hence, tasking police officers, medical workers and social workers to adhere to clinical practices.
Each sample, according to the chief government chemist office, has its own requirement and failure to observing clinical procedures can result to wastage of public resources and sometime giving wrong results.
Kagera Ng’weshemi, Acting Manager for Forensic Toxicology Laboratory at the Government Chemist Laboratory Authority (GCLA) told africa-press , samples such as urine requires 3 0 milliliters while blood requiring at least 10milliters and between 25 and 50 grams for postmortem samples.
“In clinical procedures these samples also need to arrive at labs in time and must be handled appropriately,” he said during the ongoing international mining technology and investment exhibition held at Bombambili grounds in Geita.
Detailing that in an event the sample has to be moved miles away, GCLA advise the relevant officers to use ice as regular preservative measures.
He informed that the authority has been commissioning routine awareness training to all the key players to ensure samples submitted meet the needed standards.
GCLA is an internationally accredited laboratory, he said thus operates according to agreed standards. With advancement in technology, the authority said it can now provide test results efficiently and within a short time.
The government chemist laboratory authority established at least one key lab in every zone across the country.
The zones, Arusha, Mwanza, Dodoma, Mbeya, Mtwara and the parent Dar es Salaam were strategically established to help speed up service provision in the neighbouring areas.
Mr Ng’weshemi said the authority is working with external examiners to certify some of its labs— the process which is at advanced stage.
Expert suggests if samples are little in volume poses difficulty in examining at the laboratory. They further add that any disorder in taking, storing and transporting the samples affect one from attaining the intended results.
Geita Regional Commissioner Eng Robert Gabriel underscored the importance of the chief government office especially during accidents involving fire, and in mining sites where it requires a Deoxyribonucleic acid— DNA to help identify bodies of disfigured victims.
