Strengthening laboratory services and systems in resource-poor countries.

摘要

Medical and public health laboratory services are a critical component of a country's national health system, as they are central in disease diagnosis, prevention, surveillance, treatment, and outbreak investigations. However, laboratory services and systems in resource-poof countries have been neglected and need to be strengthened to meet the goals of several major global health programs, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM); the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); the Millennium Development Goal for health; and the International Health Regulation. These goals require all countries to have the capacity to assess, detect, and report to the World Health Organization (WHO) any potential public health risk. This should be supported by reliable and accurate laboratory results to ensure a timely and effective response. Strengthening laboratory services and systems in resource-poor countries will require better coordination and collaboration among donors and partners, with strong leadership of each country's Ministry of Health. Recognizing these challenges, representatives from 33 countries in Africa, Asia, and Central America; from major institutions including the World Bank, the GFATM, WHO AFRO, and WHO Geneva; from some Universities involved in implementing the PEPFAR program (Harvard University, Columbia University, University of Maryland); and from professional organizations (American Society for Microbiology, American Society for Clinical Pathology, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute) met in Maputo, Mozambique, in January 2008 and issued the Maputo declaration for strengthening laboratory services and systems in resource-poor countries. The declaration calls on resource-poor countries to develop national laboratory strategic plans and policies that will guide efforts to strengthen laboratory services and systems as an integral part of the overall health system.