BACKGROUND: Assessment is a critical aspect of laboratory quality management, and it can be conducted in several
ways. EQA is defined as a system for objectively checking the laboratory’s performance using an external agency or
facility. Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Tamil Nadu has registered all its 2127 Primary Health Centre
Laboratories to participate in the CMC-Biochemistry-External Quality Assurance Scheme (EQAS) from 2021 to ensure
reliable and reproducible results.
AIM : To assess the impact of participation in Proficiency Testing (PT) to deliver quality laboratory services in a primary
health care setting.
OBJECTIVES : To analyse the consistency in participation by PHC laboratories and the performance of laboratory
investigations for Glucose Analyte from Jan – Sep 2022
ETHODOLOGY : All the 2127 PHC laboratories in Tamil Nadu were registered under CMC-Biochemistry EQAS Program
for the Year 2022 followed by adequate Quality Management Training to the Laboratory Technicians of PHCs by the State
Public Health Laboratory and also through the District Public Health Laboratories. A Dashboard was created to analyse the
participation and performance analytics of all the 2127 PHC labs individually and district wise.
RESULTS : In 2020, a total of 876 labs (41.2%) only were participated consistently. The participation has gradually increased
to a total of 1398 labs (65.7%) in 2021 followed by1637 labs (77%) in 2022. Excellent score was obtained by 1655 labs
(77.8%) in 2021 followed by 1640 labs (77.1%) in 2022.
CONCLUSION : Quality of laboratory investigations are paramount important to deliver reliable and reproducible test
results in the primary health care centres to serve the rural community. Participation in EQAS will ensure and assure the