Laboratory Assistant

About the role

The Laboratory Assistant will support the clinic’s diagnostic services by collecting, handling, and processing patient specimens, performing routine laboratory tests, and ensuring quality and safety standards are met.

Key responsibilities

• Receive patients, correctly identify and label specimens (blood, urine, stool, sputum, etc.) following laboratory protocols.
• Collect blood samples using venipuncture and capillary puncture with aseptic technique.
• Handle, transport, and store specimens to maintain integrity before testing or referral.
• Perform routine investigations such as malaria microscopy/RDTs, HIV rapid testing, hemoglobin estimation, urinalysis, stool microscopy, pregnancy tests, basic hematology, parasitology, microbiology, and clinical chemistry.
• Support TB sputum smear microscopy, STI screening, blood grouping, and cross‑matching where applicable.
• Record, interpret at a basic level, and promptly report test results to clinicians.
• Adhere to QA/QC procedures, participate in EQA schemes, and follow infection prevention and control practices.
• Operate, clean, and maintain laboratory equipment (microscopes, centrifuges, hemoglobinometers, refrigerators, etc.).
• Manage reagent and consumable stocks and ensure safe disposal of waste and sharps.

Required profile

• Entry‑level qualification.
• Up to 24 months of relevant laboratory experience.

Required skills

• Venipuncture and capillary puncture
• Malaria microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs)
• HIV rapid testing
• Hemoglobin estimation
• Urinalysis
• Stool microscopy
• Pregnancy testing
• Basic hematology
• Parasitology
• Microbiology
• Clinical chemistry
• TB sputum smear microscopy
• Blood grouping and cross‑matching
• Quality assurance and quality control procedures
• Infection prevention and control (IPC) practices
• Laboratory equipment operation (microscope, centrifuge, hemoglobinometer, refrigerator)