A Water Proficiency Testing Scheme to ensure safe drinking Water in Africa

Transcription

1 A Water Proficiency Testing Scheme to ensure safe drinking Water in Africa 18 July 2011 Donald Masuku NMI South Africa SADCMET Regional Co-ordinator AFRIMETS TCQM, NAIROBI, KENYA

2 Outline of Report Overview and Background Why SADC Water PT was established Scope Membership Structure Funding Mechanism Challenges Conclusion

3 Reasons for Establishment of SADC Water PT To check the potability of existing water supplies and newly developed sources water analysis is indispensable To ensure the quality of water, two PT schemes have been set up in SADC and EAC countries and this has been expanded to most countries in Africa The two PTs include Chemistry Analysis (Elemental Composition ) 7 th year Microbiology Analysis 3 rd year

4 Chemistry PT Scheme In 2004, with assistance from PTB, Germany, a PT scheme for the chemistry analysis of water was started with 22 labs mainly from the NSBs of SADC and EAC countries. Objective of establishing a Proficiency Testing Scheme for water testing laboratories A Namibian Water Utility NAMWATER was nominated to be the PT provider after undergoing training in Germany The PT is now in its 7 th Year with over 60 laboratories participating PT is facilitated by PTB sponsored consultant Dr Michael Koch, Head: Dept of Hydochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Germany

5 Scope: Most important chemical ground water parameters Parameter Concentration in mg/l Calcium Magnesium Sodium Potassium Iron Manganese Aluminium Sulphate Chloride Fluoride Parameter Concentration in mg/l Lead Copper 1 4 Zinc Chromium Nickel Phosphate Arsenic Cadmium Cobalt Nitrate 3 different levels for each parameter

6 Microbiology PT In 2005 a decision was taken to extend the Water PT to include microbiology analysis Nominated Uganda : UNBS to be the pilot lab 3 personnel (2 from UNBS and 1 from ZIMLAB) were trained as PT providers in Germany PT is facilitated by another PTB sponsored consultant Dr Katrin Luden, Research Microbiologist and PT Provider from Germany 1 st round microbiology PT started in 2008 with 27 laboratories participating in the first round The PT is in its 4 th round this year and 43 laboratories have registered to participate this year

7 Scope: Microbiology Parameter Coliforms/Ecoli Total Plate Count (TPC) Method (mainly enumeration methods) (Total plate count methods) Other parameters e.g. Enterococci to be added in future depending on laboratories needs

8 SADC WATERLAB ASSOCIATION In 2005 it was decided to formalize the Water PT Scheme and an association of Water testing labs called SADC WATERLAB ASSOCIATION was established through an MoU The MoU was finalized in 2008 and all participating labs are now signatories The Association is coordinated by the SADCMET Secretariat located at, NMISA, South Africa MoU is available on the SADCMET website on

9 SADC WATERLAB Objectives The association is a regional not for profit organization. Its major aims are: To facilitate technical cooperation and collaboration amongst regional labs involved in water testing To run a proficiency testing scheme for water analysis To provide an organized interface at the regional level between these labs and other SQAM structures involved in conformity assessment issues To promote development and harmonization of measurement, test and analytical methods Capacity building and development of competence Promote accreditation of participating labs

10 MEMBERSHIP Members are those labs, labs associations and any organisations who subscribe to the objectives and values of the association. MEMBERSHIP 2 categories Ordinary members: Labs & Lab Associations in SADC countries involved in water testing and analyses Associate members: Labs and Lab Association in non SADC countries involved in water testing and analyses Membership fees: Currently no membership fees (focus is on capacity building and competence development of participating labs)

11 Ordinary Members

12 Other Participating Countries include: Kenya Uganda Rwanda Ethiopia Burundi Ghana

13 SADC WATERLAB STRUCTURE General Assembly Project Management Committee (PMC) which consist of : Chair: Tanzania Vice Chair: Zimbabwe Secretariat : South Africa (NMISA) Four elected PMC Members Botswana Madagascar Zambia Mauritius 2 Ex officio members: Namibia NAMWATER: PT provider for Chemical analysis and Uganda UNBS: PT provider for Microbiology analysis

14 Local Coordinators Local Coordinators have been appointed in each participating country to coordinate and promote PT scheme at national level for both Chemical and Microbiology Roles and responsibilities of Local Coordinators include: Promote the PT schemes at the national level Organise the local distribution of samples Organise the payment for PT in their countries where necessary Dissemination of information from PT workshops Link between PT provider and participating labs at country level Brochures have been developed and are used by Local Coordinators for promotional purposes

15 ToT Programme The Association has put in place a Train of Trainer Programme and trained 2 people from each participating country in Quality Assurance in Analytical Chemistry to carry out national workshops and train others at a national level 28 participants have been trained and 4 countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Seychelles) have already started rolling out national workshops We have also introduced a bi annually newsletter to communicate the activities of the water PT Database of all the Trainers on the SADCMET website

16 Responsibilities of PT Providers Notification of the PT rounds normally in February Calculation of target values Preparation of stock solutions Weighing of stock solutions Preparation of bulk samples Dispensing of samples Labeling of bottles & packing & distribution

17 Evaluation and Assessment The assessment of performance is based on z- scores Calculation of standard deviation According to ISO using robust statistical methods Where the calculated value is higher, the fitnessfor-purpose value is used. NMISA assigns the inorganic analysis values for the Chemistry PT and from 2011 Rand Water is the expert lab and will assign values for Micro PT

18 Reporting of results Graphical display of lab. results vs. assigned value to assist in corrective actions Method specific information is given Detail presentation on problems, improvements and corrective actions Assistance is given for corrective actions Annual evaluation workshops are conducted

19 Project Overview February 2004 End 2004 First workshop in Windhoek, Namibia, with participants from 16 countries with training on basic issues of quality 1 st PT round; Evaluation workshop (Pretoria) nd PT round; Evaluation workshop with training on measurement uncertainty (Dar es Salaam) rd PT Round; Evaluation workshop with training on method validation and control charts (Gaborone) th PT round; Evaluation workshop (Dar es Salaam) with training on method validation and measurement uncertainty October: Poster presentation at the Eurachem Workshop for Proficiency testing in analytical chemistry, microbiology and laboratory medicine in Rome th PT round; Evaluation workshop (Kampala) with training on management requirements 1 st PT for Microbiology with training on basic quality issue th round; Evaluation workshop (Seychelles) with training on Corrective Actions 2 nd round Micro, training on Uncertainty of measurement th round; Evaluation workshop in Namibia, training on method validation Presented a paper at the NCSLI in Rhode Island, USA 3 rd round in Micro; training on method validation Next Evaluation workshop for 2011 will take place in Mauritius Nov 2011

20 Participation per country Angola Botswana Burundi DR Congo Ghana Ethiopia Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Namibia Rwanda Seychelles

21 Participation per country South Africa Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe

22 Growth of the PT Scheme Growth of PT No of Labs Series

23 % Representation / Country % Representation/Country Zambia 5% Zimbabwe 8% Angola 0% Botswana 5% Burundi 5% Uganda 8% DR Congo 10% Ethiopia 2% Ghana 2% Tanzania 17% Kenya 10% South Africa 2% Swaziland 3% Rwanda 3% Republic of Seychelles 3% Namibia 5% Mauritius 8% Mozambique 0% Lesotho 2% Madagascar 2% Malawi 3%

24 Funding Mechanism Since its inception, the scheme has been funded by PTB which includes: Transportation and distribution of samples Training of PT providers and participants Consultancy fees for PT facilitators Participation of delegates in the Evaluation workshops Participating labs pay U$150 participation fees which is used for preparation of samples by the PT provider

25 Challenges Whilst significant progress has been made, the scheme has the following challenges: Lack of sustainable funding mechanism Lack of understanding of fundamentals of the PTs by the labs Insufficient capacity and resources in the member states Access to equipment and support providers Lack of quality management systems in most labs Customs problems with transportation of samples Communication infrastructure

26 Conclusion The SADC Water PT is a good possibility for the participants to compare with peers and with stated fitness-for-purpose criteria SADCWater lab association is a good platform for networking and mutual help to improve the quality The results of many laboratories are still not satisfactory but there is progress made Emphasis is being put on corrective actions after unsatisfactory participation

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28 Thank you!