Capacity building of public health laboratories in Afghanistan: challenges and successes (2007-2011)/Renforcement des capacites des laboratoires de sante publique en Afghanistan: defis et succes (2007-2011)

• Published in: Eastern Mediterranean health journal Vol. 20; no. 2; p. 112
• Main Authors: Monestersky, J.H, Elyan, D.S, Wasfy, M.O, Oyofo, B.A, Noormal, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria World Health Organization 01.02.2014
• Subjects: Epidemics; Hospitals; Infectious diseases; Influenza; Infrastructure; Management; Medical diagnosis; Medical laboratories; Medical research; Parasitic diseases; Public health; Sewage disposal; Tropical diseases; Afghanistan; Kabul Afghanistan; United States > US
• ISSN: 1020-3397; 1687-1634

The continuing state of conflict and the resulting devastation of infrastructure have made Afghanistan exceptionally vulnerable to disease epidemics. The paper reports initiatives by the United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 to promote capacity building in a number of key medical laboratories and enable the Afghans to detect emerging and re-emerging diseases of public health importance. Equipment, supplies and laboratory staff training were critical for disease diagnosis and fulfilment of obligations of the International Health Regulations 2005. Accordingly, many diseases outbreaks were recently identified, including avian and pandemic influenza, febrile illness, watery diarrhoea, jaundice and leishmaniasis. Clinical samples and disease vectors were collected for analysis, and microbial isolates were obtained for further characterization. The expanded range and enhanced accuracy of laboratory procedures have facilitated selected local laboratories to monitor, detect, identify, assess, contain and respond to public health threats. Nevertheless, policies of sustainability and infectious diseases control need continuous support and emphasis. La persistance du conflit ainsi que la destruction des infrastructures qui en resulte ont rendu l'Afghanistan exceptionnellement vulnerable aux epidemies. Le present travail de recherche detaille les initiatives de l'Unite de recherche medicale de la marine des Etats-Unis d'Amerique (NAMRU-3) visant a promouvoir le renforcement des capacites de plusieurs laboratoires medicaux cles et a permettre aux Afghans de depister des maladies emergentes et reemergentes qui sont importantes sur le plan de la sante publique. Les equipements, les fournitures et la formation du personnel de laboratoire etaient critiques pour le diagnostic des maladies et le respect des obligations decoulant du Reglement sanitaire international (2005). En consequence, de nombreuses flambees epidemiques ont recemment ete identifiees, notamment les grippes aviaire et pandemique, les maladies febriles, les diarrhees aqueuses, l'ictere et la leishmaniose. Des echantillons cliniques ainsi que des vecteurs de maladie ont ete collectes pour analyse, et des isolats microbiens ont ete obtenus pour affiner la caracterisation. L'eventail elargi et la precision accrue des procedures de laboratoire ont permis aux laboratoires locaux selectionnes de suivre, de depister, d'identifier, d'evaluer, d'endiguer les menaces de sante publique et d'y repondre. Toutefois, les politiques visant a assurer la perennite de ces capacites et la lutte contre les maladies infectieuses necessitent un appui et un effort permanents. [TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]