The Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital on July 24 attained the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) accreditation for its microbiology laboratory with financial and technical assistance from the US Government.

The microbiology laboratory of the hospital is one of medical facilities assisted by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the non-governmental organisation Family Health International (FHI 360) under a programme on building laboratory quality management system in the country.

Through the programme, a number of laboratories in hospitals and research institutes have been helped to attain ISO 15189:2007 certification.

ISO accreditation creates an environment that allows laboratories to operate at internationally recognised levels, improve efficiency, ensure more reliable test results, and enhance overall health care for patients. Accreditation of laboratories to an international standard has played an important role in improving national health care systems worldwide.-VNA