DEPARTMENTS
ADMINISTRATION
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DISEASE CONTROL
HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT AND MAINTANANCE
GOVERNMENT ANALYST LABORATORY
Mission
To promote health for all through the provision of scientific and technical information for health preventive and support programmes.
Table of Contents
1. Objectives
2. Activities
3. Food Analysis Unit
4. Industrial Unit
5. Toxicology and Clinical Unit
6. Water and Effluent Unit
7. Training
8. Facilities
9. Quality Control
10. Linkages
11. Further Information
Objectives
The government analyst’s mandate is to analyse samples for Medico-legal purposes and in support of government programmes, to co-ordinate the national food control program and food standards development work and to provide technical advice and information on issues pertaining to environmental pollution, food quality and standardization, water treatment and industrial processing.
Activities
The laboratory offers analytical services in a wide range of fields namely food, water, effluent, environmental, industrial products, toxicology, general chemicals and clinical. It operates through four units namely:
Food analysis
Toxicology and clinical
Industrial
Water and Effluent
Food Standards Development
The laboratory is the Secretariat for the food standards advisory board responsible for developing and updating food regulations. It is also the CODEX contact point for Zimbabwe and is one of the three World Trade Organisation enquiry points for Zimbabwe.
Food Analysis Unit
The unit is primarily involved in the chemical and microbiological analysis of food samples according to provisions of the Food and Food Standards Act (CAP 15:04). Food samples are also analysed for purposes of providing a quality control service to industry and in cases of suspected contamination. The Foods division provides technical information and assistance on matters related to food composition, production, quality and legislation.
The range of analytical tests include microbiology, pesticide residue tests, proximate analysis, food additives, carbohydrates metals and micronutirents.
Industrial Unit
Its main functions are:
analysis of air pollution samples;
analysis of industrial products;
analysis of paints and related products to check for compliance with Hazardous Substances and Articles (Paint) Regulations and the British Standards;
analysis of samples for tarriff classification; and
analysis of some common pesticides samples.
Toxicology and Clinical Unit
This unit is concerned with the analysis of postmortem specimens for toxic substances as a service to the Ministry of Home Affairs (Z.R.P) and Forensic Science Laboratory. Clinical samples are handled for purposes of therapeutic drug monitoring, emergency toxicology, heavy metal analysis, deetermination of blood alcohol, pesticide and muti poisoning. This is a support service to health care delivery institutions.
Water and Effluent Unit
The division is responsible for the analysis of water to determine suitability for human consumption and for the control of water pollution. It also offers technical advice on matters of sources of water pollution as well as give advice on water treatment. Water and effluent samples are received from the Department of Water (Ministry of Lands and Water ), other government departments and private concerns. Analysis includes: hardness, metals, organic impurities, biological and chemical oxygen demand.
Training
The laboratory provides practical training services to students from the polytechnics and universities.
Facilities
The laboratory is furnished with a wide range of up to date equipment which enable employment of analytical techniques such as gas liquid chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, Atomic absorption Spectroscopy, Infra-red spectroscopy and UV- visible spectroscopy.
Quality Control
Each division in the laboratory is responsible for implementing Quality Control programmes as outlined in the laboratory's quality policy. Locally, the laboratory co-ordinates an Inter-laboratory Quality Control programme with five other laboratories.
Linkages
The laboratory is the only one of its kind in Zimbabwe. However, it has close links with other laboratories in the country which are involved in analytical chemical analysis and research. These include:
Blair Research Laboratory,
Standards Association of Zimbabwe,
Tobacco Research Board,
Research and Specialist Services,
Forensic Science Laboratory,
Regional Drug Control Council,
Contacts are also made internationally with reputable laboratories and organisations such as Campden and Chorleywood Research Association, Government Chemist (U.K.), Codex Alimentarius, NAMAS (UK), and Swedish Testing Institute (SP). These contacts are in matters of quality control and method development.
Contact Persons
Government Analyst
email: Mr D. B. Nhari
Tel.: +263-4-792026/7
Fax: +263-4-708527 Deputy Government Analyst (Food, Water & Food Control Secritariat)
email: T. N. Nyamandi
Tel.: +263-4-792026/7
Fax: +263-4-708527
Deputy Government Analyst (Toxicology, Industrial & Administrative)
email: M. L. Musiyambiri
Tel.: +263-4-792026/7
Fax: +263-4-708527 Chief Scientific Laboratory Technician (Accounts, Purchasing, Equipment & Supplies)
email: Mr C. V. Nyamushonyongora
Tel.: +263-4-792026/7
Fax: +263-4-708527
Cnr Josiah Tongogara/Mazowe Street
P. O. Box CY231
Causeway
ZIMBABWE