Proper collection of samples from a human body and safely handling them to a testing laboratory is one of the key areas of response to outbreaks of highly infectious diseases, including COVID-19.  Earlier assessments by National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) identified gaps in collection of COVID-19 samples, packaging and transportation to the NPHL.

To ensure that laboratory technicians follow global guidelines for proper collection and safe handling of samples, Ministries of Health in Mainland and Zanzibar with support from WHO and partners organized a training on COVID 19 sample collection, packaging of infectious substances, transportation and bio-risk management.

The training took place in Zanzibar where the government has decentralized laboratory testing in line with its COVID-19 response plan. Currently, the COVID-19 samples are collected from all regions in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar and transported to the NPHL in Dar es Salaam for testing.

The training imparted knowledge and skills for proper taking of swabs for COVID-19 testing from oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal, packaging according to regulations of the International Air Transportation Association (IATA), shipment and documentation for COVID-19 cases and proper use of PPEs.

A total of 64 staff from the 29 health facilities – 15 Unguja and 14 in Pemba were trained. Participants of the training were laboratory technicians and clinicians and/or nurses for facilities that had no laboratory technicians. National facilitators from WHO and NPHL conducted the training.

Additionally, a sustainability base was built by training eleven staff—3 from Pemba and 8 from Unguja— as trainers (ToT) who will cascade the skills to the facilities that were not able to participate in the training.

In Tanzania Mainland, similar trainings were conducted in phases covering all 26 Regions with support from WHO and PATH/USAID.