Clinical Diagnostics
& Reference Testing
in Addis Ababa
Serving partner hospitals, clinical researchers, and the community with Beckman Coulter automated clinical chemistry, VCS 360 hematology, chemiluminescent immunoassays, and real-time HPV genotyping.
A Dual-Purpose Biomedical Institution
Operating at the intersection of professional clinical diagnostics and rigorous Lasallian higher education, the laboratory fulfils two complementary functions simultaneously.
Regional Reference Hub
Partner hospitals — Alert Hospital, Zewditu Memorial, and affiliated specialty clinics — refer complex specimens to our laboratory for confirmatory, specialised, and high-volume routine testing. Multi-tier verification ensures clinical reliability.
- Strict cold-chain specimen handling and accession verification
- Pathologist and senior analyst dual sign-off on critical results
- Direct telephony notification for panic-range values
MLT Academic Teaching Facility
Medical Laboratory Technology undergraduates acquire direct, supervised bench experience with contemporary automated analysers. Rigorous physical and procedural separation guarantees that student practice runs never intersect with real clinical records.
- Dedicated student workstations separate from clinical reference benches
- Practice runs use non-clinical QC matrix samples only
- Faculty-supervised thesis research under IRB clearance
Diagnostic Machinery & Analytical Platforms
Equipped with flagship automated platforms from Beckman Coulter and precision molecular cyclers, combining automation, reproducibility, and high diagnostic throughput.
Beckman Coulter DxC 700 AU & AU480
- Direct whole-blood enzymatic HbA1c testing for rapid diabetes assessment
- Micro-volume sampling (1–25 µL) conserving delicate pediatric and geriatric specimens
- Automated clot detection, probe crash protection, and real-time reflex dilution
- Rapid ~8.5-minute analytical reaction time for urgent hospital referral panels
Beckman Coulter DxH 900
- VCS 360 Technology interrogates white blood cells in their near-native state using Volume, Conductivity, and 5-Angle Laser Scatter
- DataFusion multi-dimensional sensor analysis drastically reduces unnecessary manual slide review rates
- Direct automated Reticulocytes (RET%, RET#, IRF) and Nucleated Red Blood Cells (NRBC)
- Selected body fluid cytometry (CSF, Pleural, Peritoneal, Synovial) cell counts
Beckman Coulter UniCel DxI 800 & Access 2
- Broad 10-category immunoassay menu: Cardiac, Thyroid, Fertility, Anemia, Bone, and Tumor markers
- High-Sensitivity Troponin I (hs-Troponin I) for early acute coronary syndrome triage
- Prostate Health Index (phi) incorporating [-2]proPSA for precise risk stratification
- Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), β-hCG, Vitamin D, and Intact PTH testing
Real-Time PCR & HPV Genotyping Platform
- High-Risk HPV Genotyping Test: Identifies oncogenic types (including HPV 16 and 18) for proactive cervical cancer prevention
- GeneXpert MTB/RIF®: Direct identification of M. tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance in under 2 hours
- Quantitative viral load monitoring for HIV-1 RNA, Hepatitis B (HBV-DNA), and Hepatitis C (HCV-RNA)
- TaqMan probe chemistry with internal extraction and amplification controls
Five Specialised Divisions
Clinical Chemistry & Metabolic Profiling
High-throughput automated photometric & ISE testing up to 1,200 tests/hour. Full organ panels, electrolytes, and direct whole-blood HbA1c.
Division detailsHematology & Advanced Immunoassays
Beckman Coulter DxH 900 with VCS 360 3D laser cytometry, alongside UniCel DxI 800 chemiluminescence for cardiac, thyroid, and tumor markers.
Division detailsMolecular Diagnostics & HPV Genotyping
BSL-2 molecular suite featuring High-Risk HPV Genotyping for cervical cancer prevention, GeneXpert MTB/RIF®, and quantitative viral load monitoring.
Division detailsPathology & Cytology
Histological tissue processing, surgical biopsy grossing, and cytological analysis with dual-pathologist verification for complex cases.
Division detailsResearch Support & EQA Hub
External Quality Assessment enrollment, undergraduate and faculty thesis support, and inter-laboratory method validation.
Division detailsNeed Testing Feasibility Support?
For specialised assay availability, institutional contract pricing, or bulk referral routing, contact our technical coordinators directly.
Analytical Precision Grounded in Rigorous Biosafety
Diagnostic reliability begins before the analyser runs — through structured pre-analytical validation — and continues through formal multi-tier verification protocols.
Cold-Chain Custody
Calibrated temperature monitoring for all -20°C and -80°C freezers, safeguarding enzyme activity and nucleic acid integrity.
Dual Verification
Critical diagnostic results and all histopathology diagnoses undergo independent secondary pathologist review before release.
EQA Benchmarking
Active participation in national proficiency testing panels to benchmark accuracy against standardised blind samples.
Critical Value Alerting
Defined panic-value thresholds trigger immediate direct telephone notification to the ordering clinician.
Public Inquiry Notice
This website is an informational and referral inquiry portal. It is not connected to OpenELIS or any Electronic Medical Record system. Patient test results, specimen tracking status, and confidential health records are not accessible through this website. Do not enter patient names, diagnoses, or sensitive medical histories when using this portal.
Partner With ECUSTA Diagnostic Laboratory
Whether you represent a hospital seeking reference testing capabilities, an academic investigator requiring analytical support, or a student inquiring about training — our diagnostic team is ready to assist.