The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) is a national public entity established in terms of the National Health Laboratory Service Act, No. 37 of 2000, governed by a Board to provide quality, affordable, and sustainable health laboratory services, training, and research.
The National Health Laboratory Service is an entity of the Department of Health (DoH) under the National Government of South Africa.
The National Health Laboratory Service was established in 2001, by amalgamating the former South African Institute for Medical Research (SAIMR), the National Institute for Virology and the National Centre for Occupational Health.
The National Health Laboratory Service is managed according to the provisions of the National Health Laboratory Service Act, the NHLS Rules, and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), No. 1 of 1999 (as amended).
Through its countrywide network of quality-assured diagnostic laboratories, the National Health Laboratory Service is the sole provider of diagnostic pathology services to over 80 percent of the South African population.
The National Health Laboratory Service also provides surveillance support for communicable diseases, occupational health and cancer.
Specialised institutes of the National Health Laboratory Service include the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) incorporating National Cancer Registry (NCR), the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH), Forensic Chemistry Laboratories (FCL) and the South African Vaccine Producers (SAVP), as subsidiaries.
The National Health Laboratory Service has laboratories in all the nine provinces of South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, Western Cape), employing approximately 8,000 people.
The National Health Laboratory Service is mandated to:
- Provide cost-effective and efficient health laboratory services to all public sector healthcare providers;
- Support and conduct health research
- Provide training for health science education in conjunction with medical facilities at universities and universities of technology.
The National Health Laboratory Service plays a major role in:
- Public health in South Africa through epidemiology, surveillance and outbreak response activities;
- The national antiretroviral roll-out programme through Cluster of Differentiation 4 (CD4) and viral load studies and HIV treatment monitoring;
- Diagnostic testing for non- communicable diseases;
- Monitoring of tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment;
- The screening for cervical cancer; and
- The support of occupational health services.
The vision of the National Health Laboratory Service is to be a centre of excellence for innovative laboratory and clinical medicine.
The mission of the National Health Laboratory Service is to advance excellence in clinical and laboratory medicine by delivering accessible, affordable, and high-quality services.
The National Health Laboratory Service is an employee-centred organisation that strives to provide patient-centred services while fostering community health and well-being through innovation, collaboration, and equity.
The National Health Laboratory Service identified the following values as the principles that govern the behaviour of all employees within the organisation:
- Employee Centered – We cultivate an environment where we actively listen and try to understand and empathise with others’ experiences and challenges without judgment or assumptions
- Service Excellence – We consistently push boundaries to achieve the highest-quality results, and this spirit of excellence inspires and motivates employees to continuously improve
- Transformation – We invest in staff professional growth by sharing knowledge and experience, peer networking, education through training, and seeking development opportunities
- Innovation – We are committed to fostering an environment that supports pushing past the status quo with bold and progressive scientific and public health research and business models
- Integrity – We commit to acting ethically and transparently in all business dealings, prioritising the right thing over personal gain
Overseeing Department/Entity
Office Bearers/Management
Chairperson
- Prof Jeffrey Mphahlele
Deputy Chairperson
- Prof Keith Craig Househam
Board Members
- Dr Lesley Bamford
- Mr Nick Buick
- Dr Palesa Dibakoane-Njana
- Mr Sebastian Gelderbloem
- Prof Mpho Kgomo
- Ms Nyameka Macanda
- Adv Matefo Majodina
- Mr Jonathan Mallet
- Ms Penelope Msimango
- Mr Koena Nkoko
- Dr Mahlane Phalane
- Prof Tivani Phosa Mashamba-Thompson
- Dr Naledzani Ramalivhana
- Mr Michael Sachs
- Dr Rendani Tshitangano
Chief Executive Officer
- Prof Koleka Mlisana
Chief Financial Officer
- Ms Pumeza Mayekiso
Chief Operations Officer
- Dr Clothilde Oliphant (Strategic Initiatives)
Senior Management
- Ms Tebogo Kekana (Company Secretary)
- Prof Spoponki Kgalamono (Director: National Institute for Occupational Health)
- Prof Pieter Meyer (Executive Manager: Laboratory Services)
- Ms Makgopelo Mkhwanazi (Executive Manager: HR)
- Prof Adrian Puren (Director: National Institute for Communicable Diseases)
- Dr Sylvia Sathekge (Executive Manager: Information Technology [CIO])
- Prof Elise Schapkaitz (Executive Manager: Academic Affairs, Research and Quality Assurance)
Communications Officers
- Mr Mzimasi Gcukumana (Senior Manager: Communications)
Contact Details
The contact details of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) are listed in the table below.
| Physical Address: | 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg |
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X8, Sandringham, 2131 |
| Telephone: | 011 386 6000 |
| Toll Free Number: | 0800 000 552 |
| Free Fax: | 086 726 1681 |
| Email: | enquiries@nhls.ac.za |
| Website: | www.nhls.ac.za |
