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Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Risk Mitigation
Project

PROJECT 076 (IfS): STRONGLABS - Preventing biological risks increased by environmental and climate change by strengthening Public Health Laboratories

Context

A strong national public health laboratory system has been recognized globally as a core capacity required by all countries to minimize biological risks and maximize global health security, especially those that may be increased by climate change. This has been formalized in the form of the International Health Regulations (IHR), agreed by WHO Member States during the 2005 World Health Assembly. This requirement is ever more imperative in the context of global climate change which has impacted the frequency, severity, and geographical locations of many communicable disease threats.

Overall objective

To support continued strengthening of national public health laboratory systems, in line with identified IHR core capacities.

Specific objectives

To minimize biological risks increased by environmental and climate change.

Activities

  1. Strengthening specimen referral transport systems;
  2. Implementing laboratory biosafety and biosecurity regimes;
  3. Assuring that quality laboratory diagnostic capacity exists for priority diseases.

Achievements

  • Distribution of a global proficiency testing for RT-PCR Testing of SARS-CoV-2
  • Global webinar series on SARS-CoV-2 testing and other laboratory-related subjects (over 10,000 registrations from 180 countries);
  • Online self-training course guiding implementation of antigen rapid diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2;
  • Materials and training on WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual 4th Edition across the Eastern Mediterranean Region;
  • Laboratory assessments for quality management and biosafety/biosecurity in Burkina Faso;
  • 15 participants trained in Global Laboratory Leadership Programme pilot in Kazakhstan.
CBRN areas
Bio-safety/bio-securityCrisis managementPublic health impact mitigationSafety and security
CBRN categories
Biological
CoE Region
CA - Central AsiaMIE - Middle EastNAS - North Africa and Sahel
12 FEBRUARY 2024
Project 076 Factsheet
English
(201.05 KB - PDF)
Download

Stakeholders

Coordinators

European Commission

Participants

This project is part of a pre-existing EU activity in the regions and has not resulted from the submission of a CoE project proposal. Due to the different origin of the project, not all countries involved are CoE partner countries.

** This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

*** This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.