Abdul Hamid Oubeisi, Executive Director, National Reference Laboratory (Nrl) • Interview

NRL has become the largest CAP accredited laboratory network in the Middle East, providing laboratory services to more than 200 regional clients.

Can you give us a little background into NRL and how it was in a position to step in and play an important role in helping to support widescale testing during the pandemic?

While diagnostics as a field is part of the back end of the healthcare value chain, studies in the US show that over 70% of physicians’ decisions are based on lab results. With this in mind, NRL was established as a major laboratory for diagnostics and infectious diseases. Today, it is part of the Mubadala Health network and is also the largest laboratory network in the UAE, with more than 350 employees. Since a laboratory can face challenges with testing, we adopted the hub-andspoke model, where we have a central laboratory and flagship laboratory facilities in the UAE, supported by a network of international referral laboratories.

How did NRL’s set up allow you to respond quickly at the start of the pandemic?

One of our main projects is a division called the Infectious Diseases Laboratory, which is currently dealing with COVID-19 pathogens. Typically, such laboratories have a bio-safety level 3 because dealing with pathogens is not possible in a normal environment. NRL is one of only three laboratories in the UAE with this purpose-built setup, and we were one of the first laboratories in the country to process COVID-19 samples in-house. We work closely with regulatory bodies and other government authorities as NRL is not only a provider, but an enabler. We help to improve standards, suggest guidelines, and work on many aspects related to diagnostics. Since February 2020, we have managed to do evaluations for several testing platforms. At present, NRL can process between 7,000 and 10,000 samples per day. We operate 24/7 and have two specialized COVID-19 laboratories; one in Abu Dhabi and one in Dubai. We never compromise on quality, which is why NRL is the benchmark for laboratory standards in the region. We were the first laboratory in the UAE to receive the prestigious ISO 15189 combined accreditation for serology (antibody) and PCR testing.

What role has NRL played in Abu Dhabi’s response to COVID-19?

Throughout the pandemic, NRL experts have served on a number of federal and national committees for writing the guidelines on testing, quality, and technologies that can be used. Our contribution from a diagnostic perspective was to have our experts serve on a number of committees for conventional PCR testing, but also to seek solutions for quicker turnaround times. We recently launched a rapid PCR molecular test that can return results within 5-15 minutes with high accuracy. This will not be for mass testing, but rather limited to use in emergency rooms and crucial government offices.

How important was the availability of skilled staff and what does this mean for the future of healthcare?

The pandemic has clearly demonstrated the importance of diagnostics and frontline healthcare workers more than at any other time. At NRL, we have more than 200 licensed medical laboratory technologists and 18 highly qualified board-certified pathologists and clinical scientists, who are doctors in very specialized areas. There has been great recognition and retention of talent, and the emphasis is now to grow and build on this talent.

What are your priorities for the future?

Our role is to invest in further research and development. Countries in the region and elsewhere need to improve on this area and invest heavily in research and development. NRL has been, and still is, involved in research studies that will have an impact on the current situation and how future pandemics are managed. Looking ahead, NRL is focusing on capitalizing on our digital capabilities to foster the diagnostic environment and bringing in new technologies. In the future, we expect that diagnostics will come to the fore as it continues to play an increasingly greater role in the provision of medical care and treatment choices.