The Competency List for Medical Laboratory Technicians in Primary Health Care Settings serves as a foundational framework to ensure that laboratory professionals are equipped with the essential skills, knowledge, and ethical standards required to deliver high-quality laboratory services. This competency list aims to delineate the core capabilities necessary for Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs) to perform their roles effectively, particularly in a primary healthcare environment. It emphasizes human values and professional ethics, ensuring that MLTs understand and respect patient confidentiality, maintain professional responsibility, and comply with relevant legislation. The competencies also address the importance of continuous professional development, encouraging MLTs to seek ongoing education and training to improve their work environment and service quality.

The purpose of this competency list is to provide a structured guide for training, assessing, and improving the performance of MLTs. It ensures that they can deliver accurate, reliable, and timely laboratory results, which are crucial for effective patient care. The end users of this competency list include healthcare organizations, training institutions, regulatory bodies, and the MLTs themselves. Healthcare organizations can use this list to set standards for hiring, training, and evaluating laboratory technicians, while training institutions can incorporate it into their curricula to ensure that graduates are fully prepared for their roles. Regulatory bodies may use it as a benchmark for licensing and accreditation, and MLTs can utilize the list for self-assessment and professional growth, ensuring they meet the demands of their profession in a primary healthcare setting.