The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) is a national public entity established to provide high-quality, affordable, and sustainable health laboratory services, training, and research in South Africa. With a countrywide network of quality-assured diagnostic laboratories, the NHLS ensures that diagnostic pathology services reach over 80% of the South African population. As a crucial component of the South African healthcare system, the NHLS plays a vital role in disease surveillance, including communicable diseases, occupational health, and cancer monitoring, while also employing over 8,000 people and operating specialized institutes like the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the National Cancer Registry.