Health laboratory services
The World Health Organization has been advocating strengthening of laboratory services (WHA Resolution 27.62, 1974) through the application of appropriate and cost-effective diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that are essential for the provision of quality health care and mitigation of human mortality, morbidity and misery. The need for an effective, responsive, high quality medical laboratory network within a developed and well organized health system is a recognized integral and vital part of patient services, and key to the success of the WHO disease prevention and control programs.'
In member countries of the Western Pacific Region, the health laboratories are mostly fragmented and in varying stages of development. Though WHO has been providing normative and technical support to the Member countries, it is observed that laboratories continue to attract low national priority, there is absence of national laboratory policies, they suffer from lack of adequate resources, lack regulatory systems , improper utilization and maintenance of equipment, non-availability of quality diagnostic kits and reagents on continuous basis and operating with weak quality systems.
WHO continued support to Member States in improving the quality and accessibility of clinical laboratories; capacity building in the form of Training of Trainers workshop (Viet Nam); training laboratory staff from district health centres (Papua New Guinea); technical support for developing national laboratory policy (Vietnam, Cambodia); to conduct a comprehensive assessment of county-level laboratories (Mongolia); and guidelines and protocols for laboratory specimen transport (Mongolia).
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Relevant publications and documents
Development of National Health Laboratory Policy and Plan
National Laboratory Policy and Plan developed by SEARO+WPRO provides technical support to Member States on the steps required to develop and effectively implement a National Laboratory Policy and National Laboratory Plan in accordance with the Asia Pacific Strategy for Strengthening Health Laboratory Services (2010-2015). This document has been developed with the contribution of experts and provides a structure for developing a comprehensive policy and regulatory framework fro establishing, operating and monitoring health laboratory services, and for promoting better coordination of activities among health prpgrammes and institutions for efficient support to both clinical and public health services.
Laboratory Quality Standards and their Implementation
Establishing and maintaining Laboratory Quality Standards are essential to generate reliable results to support clinical and public health actions. The Laboratory Quality Standards present a minimum set of standards that can be readily adapted by countries and applied to laboratories at every level of the health-care system. This document also outlines mechanisms to implement these Standards. This document will be of help to national policy-makers as well as regulators in developing the national Laboratory Quality Standards . It provides a simple approach to meet the minimum requirements set to meet the ultimate objective to comply with ISO 15189 in a logical and step-by-step manner.
Regional Workshop on the Implementation of the 'Asia Pacific Strategy for Strengthening Health Laboratory Services (2010-2015)' in the Pacific Island Countries
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[more publications and documents]
Upcoming meetings and events
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