Latin-American Confederation of Clinical Biochemistry (COLABIOCLI)

The Latin American Confederation of Clinical Biochemistry COLABIOCLI, was founded in 1968 in Mar del Plata Argentina and it is integrated by all Latin American local societies of Clinical Chemistry.  In December 1968, a group of  distinguish biochemists from Buenos Aires held the first Latin American Congress of Biochemistry: Dr. Bernardo Houssay, Argentina (Nobel Prize),  Dr. Luis Leloir, Argentina (Nobel Prize),  Dr. Martin Rubin and Dr. Cesar Milstein Argentina (Nobel Prize).

In 1973, The Latin American Confederation of Clinical Chemistry was officially established during the II Congress of Biochemistry in Porto Alegre Brazil.

Since 1968, COLABIOCLI has developed multiple activities regarding scientific matters and professional regulations.

The Mission of COLABIOCLI is the Continuous Improvement of Ethical and scientific aspects of the Clinical Biochemistry Profession.

The main objective is to establish a Continuous Quality Assurance System in all laboratories in Latin America, with the cooperation of PAHO/WHO, IFCC, the National Societies of Clinical Chemists, Public Health Minister and University Authorities in Latin America.

Three important problems that deserve mayor effort; incorporation of a Continuous Quality programme to ensure laboratory results, which will contribute to the health of the population and  the lack of laboratory management, absence of registration and licensing, quality assessment (internal and external) and accreditation.

We have had one Latin American Congress every two years.  These congresses where located in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and  Venezuela.  The average attendance is 1200.

One of the main programme of COLABIOCLI it is to give support to the establishment of laboratory continuous quality improvement.

Proposal:

Improvement of the quality performance of the clinical laboratories in Latin America, internal quality controls, external quality assessment, to establish quality management systems and development of quality indicators in the clinical laboratories.

Activities:

Since 1990 COLABIOCLI, PAHO/WHO with the support of other institutions have developed the follow activities:

  • Courses and workshop on Quality
  • Edition of three books, on Quality Assurance
  • Visits to different Health Institutions, to stimulate their interest in our programmes
  • Providing control material and course to elaborate them
  • Seminars on management of External Quality Assessment
  • Training courses for tutor on Quality Management System
  • Participation in National Congresses and Organization of Latin American Congresses
  • Financing visiting lectures according to local needs.
  • National regulations and laboratories registration in the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Venezuela, Uruguay

In November 2007, we held XVIII Latin American Congress of Clinical Chemistry in Panama with the attendance of 1300 members. At this meeting the 2008-2010 COLABIOCLI Executive Board was elected. President Dr. Ana Leticia Cáceres de Maselli (Guatemala), Vice-president Dr. Norberto Cabutti (Argentina), Secretary Dr. Angel Rodríguez (Guatemala), Treasurer Dr. Carolina Richter de Penados (Guatemala), Board member Dr. Ramón Goya (Spain), Board Member Manuel Morejon (Cuba), Board Member Dra. Ingrid Arroqui (Chile).

In April 2010, we held XIX Latin American Congress of Clinical Chemistry in Santiago de Chile, with the attendance of 900 members. At this meeting the 2010-2011 COLABIOCLI Executive Board was reelected. President Dr. Ana Leticia Cáceres de Maselli (Guatemala), Vice-president Dr. Norberto Cabutti (Argentina), Secretary Dr. Angel Rodríguez (Guatemala), Treasurer Dr. Carolina Richter de Penados (Guatemala), Board member Loida Gonzalez (Dominican Republic), Board Member Manuel Morejon (Cuba), Board Member Dr. Graciela Queiruga (Uruguay).

COLABIOCLI effort in Quality Management System in the basic components; standard operatives procedures, laboratory documents, internal control  and external quality assessment, internal and external audits, continuous education Programme and training,  biosafety regulations, preventive and corrective maintenance of the equipment.

Registration goals achieved with national regulations in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay and recently Ecuador and Bolivia.

COLABIOCLI promote and has an ethical compromise of health institutions and professionals, implementation in External Quality assessment.

Countries with External Quality Assessment: Argentina, Brasil, México, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perú,  España, Uruguay.

Registration goals achieved:

External Quality Assessment in 89% of the countries.

Preparation of control samples: Argentina, Brasil, Colombia, Guatemala, México, Uruguay.

Accreditation Guide, Quality Management course I Edition 2005 and second edition 2009.

Establishment of a Quality System:

Audit course for Quality Management Systems:

On October 2008, the National Clinical Society of Colombia, held and audit course for members of each country of South America.  On June 2009, the National Clinical chemistry Society of Panama, held an audit course for delegates of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean region.

COLABIOCLI organized External Quality Assessment meetings in San Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay, Ecuador, and Colombia.

Strategies and Goals:

Completion of license procedures in all countries, innovation of the External Quality Programme, innovation of the External Quality Programme, developing professional resources to manufacture reference materials, continuing with the efforts for the establishment of a Quality Control Programme in the Latin American countries. Achieve the active participation of the health authorities, continuance of local and distance learning programs, application of national and international guide for accreditation program.

In addition to this programmes, COLABIOCLI has a visiting professors programme which includes activities in most of the countries congress all scientific activities according their needs.

One of the politics of COLABIOCLI also includes visits to minister of health, university authorities and national health programmes to strengthen laboratories professionals and laboratories activities, all this programme suggested by COLABIOCLI or by local organizations.

Many of the activities described had been supported mainly by PAHO/WHO, we also have and important cooperation with IFCC.

 

COLABIOCLI President:
Dr. Carlos Daniel NAVARRO
Av. Rivadavia 2319 Piso 11º "A"
CP 1034 Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Argentina
E-mail: carlos.navarro.bioq@gmail.com
Website: www.colabiocli.org