The establishment of the Genetics Laboratory was spearheaded by the Tanzanian Consulate to Istanbul-Turkey, Ziya Karahan who generously donated the laboratory equipments worth more than USD 1 million, while the construction and repairing of the building done by MUHAS and incurred 129m/-.
Speaking at the commissioning of the MUHAS Genetics Laboratory (MGL), Former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi said it has been a long time standing ambition for Tanzania to host a large genetic laboratory which will not only be useful to its citizens but also those from nearby countries.
Former President Mwinyi, who is also a MUHAS Chancellor, was central to the set up of the lab having generated interest between MUHAS and the Doctors Worldwide-Turkey (DWWT) and the University of Istanbul to collaborate in medical training programmes
“This is a unique opportunity for people from other countries to come get knowledge here that meets international standards,” he said.
“This laboratory is found nowhere else within East Africa it is only here so I extend special acknowledgement to the people of Istanbul-Turkey for making this happen,” said the former president.
On his part, the institute’s Vice Chancellor Prof Ephata Kaaya said the laboratory will be used for teaching at MUHAS, Muhimbili National Hospital and other Hospitals including that of Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute.
“It will open an avenue for research in genetics and make it possible to confirm genetic disorders and therefore save money that would otherwise be incurred in referring specimens to reference laboratories outside the country,” he said.
“The university will therefore oversee the function of the laboratory and ensure that it provides quality services to acceptable standards,” he said.
Prof Kaaya noted that the laboratory will enable the varsity to mount teaching programmes in genetics and hence produce experts in the discipline of Medical Genetics.
He said MUHAS will also guide the growth of the laboratory to eventually become a stand-alone Department of Medical Genetics.
Professor of Genetics at the University of Istanbul, Prof Fatmahan Atalar on behalf of Ziya Karahan, the honorary Consulate of Tanzania to Turkey, seconded that the genetics lab will greatly boost the genetic testing capacity of the entire East Africa.
She said as this new era of personalised medicine evolves, MGL is thrilled to perform genetic tests in Tanzania and to build genetics expertise and experience in the country and with help from the public and private partners.
Prof Atalar said the new state-of-the-art MGL is already fully operational.
“This lab is not just about diagnostics, it is also about experiments and research...it also means researchers getting information to clinicians much earlier than before especially in prenatal analysis,” she said.
According to her, the lab services are cost-effective, clinically relevant and accessible to Tanzanians; “it is the basis for next-generation genetic testing expertise in the country,” she said.
This new Centre rises to the challenge of ensuring Tanzania remains a leader in life sciences in East Africa and larger part of Africa.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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