Equipping Laboratories to Address Global Health Needs
We build laboratory capacity in global communities through programs and partnerships that promote access to basic resources and technology. Our work enables labs to reliably conduct microbiology operations around the world and in under-resourced locations.
We tailor our programs to the specific needs of each country, in order to ensure sustainable outcomes.
The result: properly trained and uniquely skilled personnel who can detect and respond to infectious diseases rapidly and effectively.
The downstream effect: countries that are equipped to respond to emerging pathogens and prepared to combat ongoing and future pandemics.
Stories and Partnerships
Pandemic Preparedness
We work routinely with public health laboratories in countries with limited resources to manage ongoing health threats and strengthen emergency responses, including the detection and reporting of outbreaks.
Prior capacity-building efforts in Ethiopia and Mozambique enabled both countries to pivot to address the COVID-19 pandemic, which caught the world off guard in 2019. Today, with over 6 million deaths worldwide, COVID-19 remains a significant threat to global public health, and preparing for future pandemics will require continued investment in global public health labs.
Antimicrobial Resistance
Through a recent cooperative agreement with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, we are actively supporting improved surveillance of Bordetella pertussis antimicrobial resistance in Brazil and Mexico. We aim to reduce morbidity and mortality in children, the population most affected by this disease in Mexico and Brazil, and hope to utilize the approach as a model in the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Our efforts enabled The Lugar Center for Public Health Research, Republic of Georgia, to gain accreditation under International Standard ISO 15189, a historic distinction they have since retained twice.
Using a standardized disease-specific laboratory strengthening checklist, we assist laboratories in their preparation for the Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) or similar requirements.
Our checklist:
- Provides a standardized method for taking inventory of personnel and available services.
- Provides a reference to assess and score the performance of a clinical microbiology laboratory seeking accreditation.
