New Lab Building To Meet Increased Demands

The American Partners are happy to announce that construction of the new laboratory building is nearing completion. The installation of Terrazo floors, windows, doors, and plumbing fixtures is complete. Recently, walkways to the new facility from other areas of the hospital were constructed and will provide easy access for patients and staff from the Outpatient Department and from the hospital wards. Inside of the building, specialized laboratory spaces are currently being outfitted with cabinets and lab benches. The pictures attached to this report show a view of the outside of the new building, some inside photos of lab rooms, and the main corridor that extends through the entire length of the facility. Landscaping around the entire building is in progress and painting of the inside and outside of the facility will begin shortly.

When completed, there will be nine lab rooms each equipped to perform specific types of medical analyses. For example, the microbiology lab will examine a variety of tissues and body fluids to detect the presence of bacteria or viruses, the histopathology lab will inspect tissue samples for diseases such as cancer, and a serology lab will analyze blood samples to detect antibodies and immune responses to diseases including HIV. The new labs will utilize some of the hospital's existing equipment, but some additional technologies will be needed to enable the most up-to-date and reliable diagnoses. In addition to lab spaces, the new facility will have climate-controlled storage, staff offices, staff changing areas, a meeting room, and a patient reception and waiting area. The functional areas of the new building will occupy approximately 3300 net square feet of floor space, which is a 3.4-fold increase in total area when compared to the currently existing laboratory spaces. The improved diagnostic and testing capacity of this facility will directly strengthen the ability of the Mwandi General Hospital's healthcare staff to detect and treat illnesses and will ensure that the hospital can meet the future health needs of the entire catchment population.

We thank all our generous donors who support this much needed facility. Your commitment to the Mwandi General Hospital will be recognized during the dedication of the new laboratory building at the Mwandi Mission Hospital's International Board meeting to be held in Mwandi, Zambia on April 9 and 10, 2026.