L-R_ Professor Lukoye Atwoli, Dean, Medical College, Aga Khan University_ Khurram Jamal, the Chief Operations Officer _ Vitor Muniz, Chapter Lead Marketing & Commercial Excellence, Roche Diagnostics Africa_
Nairobi’s Aga Khan University Hospital has partnered with Roche Diagnostics to implement the Roche Total Lab Automation (TLA) system.
The system is a fully integrated system designed to improve the speed, accuracy, and consistency of critical laboratory testing.
This new technology represents a notable advancement in diagnostic capability for the region, supporting better clinical outcomes and a more efficient healthcare system.
Developed exclusively by Roche Diagnostics, the TLA solution automates every stage of the laboratory process, creating a single, streamlined workflow.
This includes loading and sorting patient samples, analysis, and archiving.
By reducing manual handling and streamlining operations, the system enables faster turnaround times and improved reliability.
“We’re proud to support Aga Khan University Hospital in strengthening diagnostic services across East Africa,” said Taofik Oloruko-Oba, Country Manager, Kenya and Head of East Africa Network, Roche Diagnostics.
“Reliable test results are the foundation of effective healthcare, and this technology makes that possible at scale.”
The hospital’s Pathology Department Chair, Prof. Shahin Sayed, highlighted the impact of automation on clinical care:
“The full automation of our lab process will significantly impact our care and greatly support our clinicians with faster results, enabling timely and more effective treatment; fewer errors, therefore improving diagnostic accuracy and building trust; and 24/7 operations.”
Roche TLA addresses common challenges facing modern laboratories, such as increasing demand for tests, shortages of skilled personnel, lengthy turnaround times, and the risk of human error.
By automating routine tasks and connecting multiple analysers on a single track, TLA offers a seamless and scalable approach to diagnostics — a feature especially important during public health surges or emergencies.
The system supports testing across all major disease areas, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, infectious diseases, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and paediatrics, making it valuable for both everyday healthcare and crisis response.
An important component of the system is Roche’s Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) instruments, assays, and reagents.
These utilize real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology — a sensitive method that detects DNA and RNA molecules from infectious agents such as HIV, hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV) early in infection.
“The establishment of donor screening, with Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) on the other hand, ensures greater patient safety,” added Prof. Shahin.
NAT is integrated into the TLA’s pre- and post-analytic phases, boosting throughput and achieving quicker turnaround times for greater workflow efficiency.
This partnership reflects Roche’s broader commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in East Africa.
The initiative also supports its 10-Year Diagnostics Strategy aimed at increasing access to in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) tenfold across Africa.
To ensure effective deployment, Roche provides ongoing training, technical support, preventive maintenance, and joint planning for product availability and logistics.
While patients may not directly see the system in operation, they benefit from faster diagnoses and treatment decisions, fewer repeat tests due to improved accuracy, safer handling of sensitive samples, and more consistent support for chronic and complex conditions.
