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Diagnostic Capacity for Fungal Infections in Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria and Ghana – An Onsite Baseline Audit of 9 Sites

Summary

Researchers audited laboratory facilities in 9 major hospitals (8 in Nigeria, 1 in Ghana) to see how well they could test for fungal infections. They found that most hospitals lacked basic equipment, trained staff, and proper procedures for fungal testing. This is a serious problem because fungal infections can be deadly if not caught early and treated quickly.

Background

Over a billion people are estimated to have fungal infections globally, with 15-30% being serious. However, fungal diseases have received little public health attention and many resource-limited countries struggle with weak laboratory systems lacking adequate infrastructure and human resources for fungal diagnosis.

Objective

To assess diagnostic mycology capacity and available fungal diagnostic services in microbiology laboratories of eight tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and one in Ghana using structured on-site audits.

Results

Only 3/9 (33.3%) laboratories had a dedicated mycology bench, 1/9 (11.1%) had trained designated personnel, and 1/9 (11.1%) had appropriate bench workflow. Most laboratories lacked functional biosafety cabinets (2/9, 22.2%), standard operating procedures (1/9, 11.1%), and mycology atlases (2/9, 22.2%). Retrospective data showed low specimen submission rates (0-208 samples) and few fungal isolates identified annually (0-94).

Conclusion

The audit revealed critical deficits in basic infrastructure, materials, human resources, and laboratory capacity to detect serious fungal infections in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and Ghana, indicating urgent need for investment and capacity building in diagnostic mycology.
  • Published in:International Journal of Public Health,
  • Study Type:Observational Audit Study,
  • Source: PMID: 39611082, DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2024.1607731
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