It was economics Zelealem Fisseha studied. She had worked in various finance and management departments of private and governmental institutions. For about 16 years now, she has been working at the Arsho Medical Laboratory.
After graduation, Managing Director of Arsho Medical Laboratories Private Limited Company Zelealem Fisseha worked in a leather endustry company, sugar cooperation as well as a private-based organization that deal on environmental issues. She had also taken a three-year break in order to take care of her own children.
When her children began going to school, she resumed work. She started her own business activity at Arsho Laboratory Private Limited Company.
Herald: Arsho Laboratory Center has a brand name in the eyes of many generations. Could you brief us about that?
Arsho was established by an Armenian doctor named Arshaville Tarezyanne. Yes, its reputation has gone far and wide among the Ethiopian community as it has been facilitating a sound laboratory services for 47 years.
It was brought into being to serve the public.
Nowadays, it has opened laboratory stations in the Administration of most Addis Ababa sub-cities. In other words, it has nine medical laboratories branches here in Addis. It facilitates laboratory services for the individuals, communities, hospitals, clinics and health institutions.
Arsho managed to climb the ladder of success as a result of putting in place a strict managerial framework.
Then after, I and my family got a share when Arsho transferred ownership for workers of its medical laboratories. We immediately decided to overhaul the managerial machinery to run the lab in a professional manner. We reorganized it in an institution form. That is why it is currently running its services in a satisfactory manner.
We have also attached due concern to the technical format of the laboratory service in a bid to furnish technological equipment. We are trying to fulfill the criteria of a top-five multinational cooperation.
We have introduced high-tech laboratory equipment. We are also working a lot in storing backup equipment. We are now ready to render service in a capacity customers greet with thumbs up approach.
We exercise caution in recruiting and building human resource capital. And we have also given trainings for the new workers labeling them technical staffers and supporter workers. We enhance workers to do their duties with initiative, responsibilities and passionate manners.
As a health issue is a sensible concern, we are working hard to level high customers’ satisfaction with virtual team spirit.
Herald: How do you assess the standardization of laboratory policy of the country?
The laboratory policy precisely refers to the quality standard of service provided. The amounts of tests are the determinant factors whether the laboratory service is being well conducted or not. The policy sets as a prerequisite the establishment of own laboratory sections in the health institutions of hospitals and clinics. That is because different results have been witnessed for similar cases.
Test methods must be applied in accordance with specific cases.
Due to this, some specific tests have been made in hospitals abroad as we do not have the services here. This is happens because of cost-benefit analyses.
Herald: What are the main criteria
whenever Arsho deals with embassies and other international organizations up on screening HIV/AIDS and other related cases?
Previously, we had been working with embassies of United States, British in screening different cases. When we do laboratory works, the embassies were dictating to us how we should do the laboratory to screen specific cases. For instance, testing HIV/AIDS was the main criteria for getting visa in United States.
We got accreditation from US CDC group that came here after a long journey from Atlanta, USA. After that Arsho and US reached into agreement to screen blood tests. Through means of utilizing similar procedures and processes, we dealt with other countries to conduct laboratory services.
GTZ had also brought a team to give accreditation for hospitals and clinics, including, Arsho Medical Laboratories. It did so in order we could receive accreditation and work together with it.
We have networked and directly connect with the aforesaid embassies and organizations. We also conduct screening tasks for Saudi Arabia through networking using servers.
Herald: Do such testing mechanisms and health dealings possibly affect the databases of both private and public information of the country?
As a matter of fact, the customers of Arsho do not bother about studying the health file of individuals they just have to know only limited private heath data of a particular individual. They need particular health information for the achievement of those particular cases only.
They do not worry much to know the whole personal health file of their target individuals. And even it is impossible to leak personal health data of individuals through server as the table to be filled out restricts the level of information to let go.
Customers have been taking health data not only from Ethiopia but also they have also been taking specific and limited health data from Sudan, Philippines and Pakistan. They will not have detail information about those particular target individuals.
Herald: Are your laboratory company doing in experiment and research on specific medical cases?
Actually, currently we do not do experiment and research in any medical cases. But, there are many MA and PHD medical students that have been asking us to do inquiry and do researches regarding health issues.
We facilitate health data for them for the sake of inquiry and research purposes. We as well support medical laboratories personnel for the accessibility of data bases of the company. Of course, there are foreign researchers who ask allowance to do inquiry. We facilitate things for them as well.
Researchers are provided with general samples of specific cases of the company. For instance, there is a trachoma project which asked us a cooperation to collect general samples to do inquires and solve the social health problem of specific areas. But, this is a rare incident.
So, the inquiries are not patient specific. Of course, we encourage the researchers to conduct research in any cases. But we do not allow personal health files for doing researches.
Herald: Pertaining to accessing data base of the company how do you deal with researchers?
They are just doing their researches by their own samples. We let them access to general data with and/or without payment. There are some students who could not afford to pay for the general data, however, other students have fund. We ask the latter to pay for the service they get. Sometimes, we allow students by spending amount of the company.
Herald: How do you manage data bases and privacy health confidentiality reports?
We have strict procedures on keeping personal health recording files. Confidentiality is our main and sensible issue in this laboratory company. We do not allow giving any patient privacy files.
This is the company’s policy. As we are accredited by International Standard Organization (ISO), confidentiality report is a strict policy in our company. Of course, we have many years’ personal data figures. There is a possibility to utilize it for various cases if it is necessary.
We need the data bases for preference medicines in accordance to genetic make-up of the patients’ at large scale for the pharmaceutical institutions.
Without considering the relevance of patients’ health file and anonymous health privacy, we are doing study for medicinal prescription of other similar case patients. There is a possibility to collaboratively work and give support to.
Herald: In modern society, DNA is a critical issue for the existence of human society of the world? So, do you think DNA is a big agenda for the people of the country?
Definitely, this is a sensible issue. Currently, DNA test is demandable issue of families, individuals and court jurisdiction. It involves a very serious task of finding one’s identity. This is a new and medical technology not practiced here in Ethiopia due to the fact that we do not have skilled manpower and we do not do feasibility study in cost-benefit analyses.
DNA test has high demand; however, we do less as a country in DNA -testing investment. When the demand gets high, we can highly engage in the DNA test practice.
But nowadays, in DNA testing practice, we are working with other foreign-based medical institutions located in Germany and South Africa.
We are also working with other outbound health institutions in the facilitation of laboratory services of organ transplant and fertility. If the patients have ongoing treatments, they are not expected to go abroad for medical check-up. We have the capability to bring the medical report from the accreditation of health institutions.
Herald: As DNA test is useful for multifaceted purposes including, IQ test, how do your company and other foreign organizations use the DNA result?
We have asked various health and other related institutions. DNA test is exorbitant. We mostly work on DNA test of kinship and blood relation. This is not as such risk for the data secrecy of the country.
When DNA test is asked by embassies, individuals and other institutions, we are willing to respond to customers in need of the service. DNA test is also an issue of chronic illness and is essential for special treats as well. I think we have to ponder on it and reach a decision on working aggressively on DNA test result.
We have to do cancer, hepatitis A,B,C tests. Such non-communicable diseases are seen militating against the workforce of the country at a frightening rate.
We are also planning to work on the demographic population of the country in the area of how we can do on the fertility of the youth.
In other words, we have to worry much on youth health for the betterment of our society and country. We should work on infant, pre and post pregnancy health issues of the country in a bid to contribute tangible results for the upcoming generation.
Currently, we focus on the delivery of laboratory services for international health organizations. And we envisage a research institution. We hope we shall succeed.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 12 January 2020
BY MEHARI BEYENE
