Strengthening biosafety systems at a veterinary laboratory in rural Ghana: A quality improvement approach from the Kwahu Afram Plains North District, April 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Veterinary laboratories play a vital role in safeguarding animal health, conducting disease surveillance, and ensuring effective disease control. However, these facilities frequently handle infectious biological agents and hazardous chemicals, posing significant risks to laboratory personnel, animals, the public, and the environment. The absence of a comprehensive biosafety management program exacerbates these risks, leading to potential exposure to infectious agents, environmental contamination, and compromised diagnostic accuracy. This project aimed to establish and implement a biosafety and risk management program in the veterinary laboratory, Donkorkrom in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District of Eastern Region of Ghana. Methods: A quality improvement approach was employed to develop and implement a biosafety management framework for the Veterinary Laboratory in Donkorkrom. Key activities included: review of national and international biosafety and biosecurity guidelines, development of a comprehensive biosafety manual and standard operating procedures (SOPs), conducting risk assessments and laboratory safety audits to identify hazards and implement corrective measures; and establishment of a monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure continuous compliance and improvement. Results: A biosafety manual was developed and implemented. A total of 14 SOPs were finalized. Essential safety was structure such as emergency eye wash, shower station, first aid kits, and fire safety equipment were installed and operationalized. Hands-on training in biosafety, health emergency response and incident management was conducted for staff. Safety drills, biosafety audit and risk assessment were conducted as part of the program. Conclusion: The implementation of this project improved staff awareness of biosafety measures and significantly strengthened safety practices within the Donkorkrom Veterinary Laboratory. The initiative provides a practical and scalable model for other veterinary laboratories in Ghana seeking to establish or improve their biosafety management systems.