Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfProc7): Abstract 098 | Published: 07 Oct 2026
Precious Kwablah Kwadzokpui1,&, Bernard Nkrumah2, Charles Quaye3, Emma Edinam Kploanyi2, Richard Kutame4, Patrick Kormla Affrim1, Prosper Mensah1, Gifty Boateng4, Samuel Armoo5
1Laboratory Department, Ho Teaching Hospital, Ho, Ghana, 2African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Accra, Ghana, 3Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, 4National Public Health and Reference Laboratory, Ghana Health Service, Accra Ghana, 5Biomedical and Public Health Research Unit, CSIR -Water Research Institute, Accra, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Precious Kwablah Kwadzokpui, CSIR, WRI, Email: Samuel.k.armoo@gmail.com
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 07 Oct 2026
Domain: Laboratory Systems Strengthening
This is part of the Proceedings of the 8th Ghana FELTP Scientific Conference and FELTP Competency Graduation, Accra, Ghana, 10 – 11 December, 2025
Keywords: Biosafety, Biosecurity, Laboratory, Ghana, Health Security
©Precious Kwablah Kwadzokpui et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Precious Kwablah Kwadzokpui et al. Critical gaps in biosafety and biosecurity: A mixed-methods assessment of institutional implementation and staff compliance in Ghanaian Hospital Laboratories in the Ho Municipality. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):098. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-0098
Robust biosafety and biosecurity systems are critical for preventing laboratory-acquired infections and safeguarding public health, yet evidence on their status at the municipal level in low-resource settings remains limited. This study evaluated the implementation of, and compliance with, biosafety and biosecurity practices in three hospital laboratories in the Ho Municipality, Ghana.
A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted (July-September 2025). Institutional implementation of biosafety and biosecurity was assessed using the WHO Biosafety and Biosecurity Laboratory Assessment Tool (BSS-LAT) via on-site inspections. Staff compliance was evaluated using a semi-structured Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) questionnaire, developed based on established biosafety frameworks and previously validated instruments. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Bayesian logistic regression to identify predictors of optimal compliance. Qualitative data underwent thematic and sentiment analysis.
The overall biosafety and biosecurity implementation score across the three facilities was 64.4%, with a clear performance hierarchy: Ho Teaching Hospital (81.4%), Ho Municipal Hospital (61.0%), and Ho Polyclinic (48.9%). Domain analysis revealed strengths in Cleaning and Waste Management (80.9%) but critical vulnerabilities in Biosecurity (55.2%), Staff Management and Training (61.2%), and Emergencies (53.4%). Staff-level compliance was low for knowledge (19.0%), though attitudes (44.8%) and practices (43.1%) were moderately better. Formal biosafety training was the strongest predictor of optimal compliance, significantly associated with positive attitudes (aOR= 4.52, 95% CI: 1.13-19.47). Qualitative analysis identified “Training” as the central barrier, intricately linked to resources, procedures, and time constraints.
This study reveals significant systemic gaps in both institutional preparedness and staff competency. The profound staff knowledge deficit, coupled with an imbalance between basic hygiene and advanced security protocols, stresses an urgent need for integrated interventions. Sustainable improvement requires coordinated investment in infrastructure, continuous competency-based training, and the cultivation of a robust safety culture to protect healthcare workers and strengthen national health security.
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