By searching for a diagnostics trade association in Africa, it isn’t unusual to observe that Africa’s diagnostics ecosystem includes regional and national trade associations, professional laboratory organisations and wider medical technology bodies.
For manufacturers, distributors, laboratory professionals and healthcare organisations, these groups can provide useful information on:
- In-vitro diagnostics (IVDs),
- Regulation,
- Market access,
- Professional standards,
- Laboratory medicine,
- Training and industry collaboration.
Below are some of the most relevant organisations to know.
1. Southern African Laboratory Diagnostics Association (SALDA)
LINK – Southern African Laboratory Diagnostics Association (SALDA)
SALDA is perhaps the the most prominent diagnostics trade association in Africa.
Based in Southern Africa, SALDA is the unified voice for the In-Vitro Diagnostics sector (IVDs) and brings together multinational and local companies that are involved in manufacturing, supplying and distributing diagnostic tests.
Its activities cover areas that include:
- Regulatory intelligence,
- Market access,
- Procurement,
- Point-of-care testing,
- Health technology assessment and the wider African diagnostics market. SALDA
2. Medical Technology Industry Association of Kenya (MEDAK)
LINK – Medical Technology Industry Association of Kenya (MEDAK)
MEDAK represents Kenya’s medical technology industry, which includes:
- Medical devices,
- Imaging and
- Diagnostics companies.
Its work includes engagement around medical technology regulation, market access, industry standards, ethical business practices and access to healthcare technologies.
MEDAK’s membership and activities are particularly relevant to manufacturers, distributors and other organisations operating within Kenya’s growing MedTech sector. Medak
3. Mecomed
LINK – Mecomed
Mecomed is a Dubai-based medical devices, imaging and diagnostics trade association that covers the Middle East and Africa (MEA).
It represents international medical technology manufacturers and qualified partners operating across the region.
Its activities include:
- Regulatory affairs,
- Market access,
- Digital health,
- Compliance and engagement with governments, regional organisations and healthcare professionals.
For international diagnostics companies looking at multiple African and Middle Eastern markets, Mecomed provides a broader regional industry perspective. Mecomed
4. Medical Devices Association of Southern Africa (MEDASA)
LINK – Medical Devices Association of Southern Africa (MEDASA)
MEDASA has a wider medical-device focus, rather than concentrating exclusively on laboratory diagnostics.
The organisation supports companies through areas such as market access, regulatory compliance and business matchmaking.
It can therefore be relevant to diagnostic equipment manufacturers and suppliers navigating the wider medical-device environment in Southern Africa.
Professional Laboratory Organisations in Africa
Not every important organisation within African diagnostics is a trade association.
Professional laboratory bodies represent scientists, technologists, laboratories and other stakeholders involved in delivering diagnostic services.
If you’re researching the African diagnostics sector, these organisations are equally useful to understand.
1. African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM)
LINK – African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM)
ASLM is a pan-African laboratory medicine organisation, instead of a commercial trade association.
Founded in 2011, it works to strengthen laboratory and diagnostic services, professional practice and laboratory networks across Africa.
Its membership also extends to individual professionals, professional associations, regulatory councils and corporate organisations. ASLM
ASLM is particularly relevant for organisations that are interested in:
- Laboratory capacity,
- Diagnostic quality,
- Professional development and the wider evolution of laboratory medicine across Africa.
2. Association of Kenya Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers (AKMLSO)
LINK – Association of Kenya Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers (AKMLSO)
AKMLSO represents medical laboratory technicians and technologists in Kenya.
Established in 1964, the association focuses on:
- Professional standards,
- Continuing education,
- Advocacy,
- Conferences and collaboration within laboratory medicine.
- It reports representation across all 47 Kenyan counties. Akmlso
This makes AKMLSO particularly relevant to companies that are seeking to understand the professional laboratory community rather than simply the commercial medical-device market.
3. Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS)
LINK – Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists
GAMLS represents medical laboratory scientists in Ghana and provides another example of the national professional organisations operating within Africa’s laboratory ecosystem.
The organisation is also recognised internationally as Ghana’s national association within the International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science (IFBLS). IFBLS
GAMLS is relevant to discussions around:
- Professional laboratory practice,
- Diagnostic capacity and
- The role of laboratory scientists within Ghana’s healthcare system.
In 2026, its leadership specifically highlighted the importance of stronger diagnostic capacity and greater representation of laboratory professionals in healthcare decision-making. Ghana News Agency
4. Cameroon Association for Medical Laboratory Sciences (CAMELS)
LINK – Cameroon Association for Medical Laboratory Sciences
CAMELS represents another particularly relevant organisation given the importance of Cameroon within the Central African healthcare market.
The International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science lists the Cameroon Association for Medical Laboratory Sciences (CAMELS) among its African national member organisations. IFBLS
Unlike SALDA or MEDAK, CAMELS should be understood primarily as a professional medical laboratory organisation rather than an industry trade association.
Summary
- Trade associations such as SALDA, MEDAK and Mecomed represent companies and address issues such as regulation, market access, procurement and industry standards.
- Professional organisations such as ASLM, AKMLSO, GAMLS and CAMELS have a different role, and focus more closely on laboratory medicine, professional development, diagnostic quality and the people delivering laboratory services.
This difference is important for manufacturers and healthcare organisations looking to understand how diagnostics are introduced and used across different African markets.
We would also like to note that ASLM reported that by the end of 2024 it had engaged 26 professional laboratory associations across Africa and entered into 23 memoranda of understanding, which further illustrates the breadth of the continent’s professional laboratory network. ASLM
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