What Do We Do?

We carry out health development projects in Africa in the following areas:

Laboratory equipment maintenance monitoring

Evaluation of laboratory systems

OpenELIS Transition

Strengthening of the Laboratory Policy

Quality Improvement and Capacity Building

Laboratory equipment maintenance monitoring

I-TECH CIV supports the maintenance of laboratory equipment by establishing mechanisms to ensure their proper functioning. This includes managing contracts with service providers, monitoring preventive maintenance schedules, overseeing repairs, and addressing defective or obsolete equipment. These actions aim to ensure the availability and efficiency of laboratory equipment.

The methods employed by our teams in tracking and maintaining laboratory equipment have proven effective during the implementation of the QISSEC and LABQUASI II projects.

Evaluation of laboratory systems

I-TECH gained its experience in laboratory system evaluation in 2017, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Côte d’Ivoire (MSHP), the National Reference Laboratory for Public Health (LNSP), and the Regional Center for Evaluation and Accreditation in Health (CRESAC), a local accreditation body. I-TECH conducted a baseline evaluation of laboratory services in 50 laboratories across Côte d’Ivoire.

The purpose of the joint evaluation was to assess the laboratories’ capacity to provide clinical diagnostic and HIV services. Specifically, I-TECH aimed to determine the number of laboratory technicians and HIV counseling and testing staff who were trained and certified for HIV testing, the quality and timeliness of clinical and HIV diagnostic tests, and the status of each laboratory to prepare them for laboratory accreditation under the WHO SLIPTA program (Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation).

With the LABQUASI II project, I-TECH CIV once again plays a key role in achieving accreditation for local laboratories.

OpenELIS Transition

OpenELIS was developed for public health laboratories both as an efficient laboratory software solution and as a business process framework for laboratory information systems. It supports the effective operation of public health laboratories.
OpenELIS was initially deployed in the United States as an open-source product and has since been adapted by a team from the University of Washington, including the Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI), for deployment in resource-limited settings. OpenELIS Global has been successfully implemented in Haiti and Côte d’Ivoire.
Additionally, DIGI manages an OpenELIS Global website that includes demos and blogs about local implementations.
DIGI collaborates with a local team of developers within I-TECH CIV for needs analysis, conceptualization, development, and maintenance of OpenELIS.

Strengthening of the Laboratory Policy

In 2017, the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (LNSP) and I-TECH Côte d’Ivoire organized a series of strategic planning meetings to review and update the vision, mission, and objectives of the previous national laboratory strategic plan. These meetings, in collaboration with various partners, resulted in a revised plan: the 2017-2022 National Laboratory Strategic Plan. The five-year strategic plan was approved by representatives of key ministerial structures, donors, and other stakeholders with influence over the laboratory system. Their joint efforts led to a shared mission: « Provide quality biological diagnostics to populations living in Côte d’Ivoire using reliable tests conducted in accordance with national and international guidelines, adhering to quality assurance procedures, biosafety, biosecurity, and bioethics standards».

Quality Improvement and Capacity Building

As part of efforts to improve the quality of care and strengthen health services, several initiatives have been implemented. These include diagnostic audits, regular evaluations by quality assurance teams, training of students and healthcare professionals in quality management, and the integration of revised educational modules. Awards were given to the best-performing teams, and an organizational procedures manual was developed.

A learning network for continuous improvement was established in certain districts, with monthly meetings and quarterly supervisions. Training sessions were organized for healthcare providers, while regular visits helped improve health indicators. Additionally, internal audit teams were trained in preparation for ISO certification, and satisfaction surveys were initiated in supported healthcare facilities.

I-TECH CIV is a non-governmental organization (NGO) under Ivorian law, established in February 2021. It is affiliated with the American NGO I-TECH. It is governed by Law No. 60.315 of September 20, 1960, concerning associations. It is registered with the Ministry of the Interior under the number 0161/INT/DGAT/DAG/SDVA dated January 15, 2021.