BACKGROUND
The Regional Public Health Laboratory (RPHL) Network was established to strengthen national laboratory systems across the Asia-Pacific region. Comprising 14 member countries and headquartered in Thailand, the Network promotes collaboration in laboratory systems strengthening, aiming to improve the timely detection of emerging pathogens and diagnostic services, in alignment with the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) and the International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities.
The RPHL Network and the Mekong Institute (MI) are implementing the GC7 Integrated Laboratory Systems Strengthening Regional Strategic Initiative, funded by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, to enhance laboratory capacities in the Asia-Pacific from 2024 to 2026. This initiative has three main modules as components: (1) enhancing laboratory capabilities in member countries, (2) fostering regional knowledge-sharing for timely diagnostics, and (3) establishing a fully operational RPHL Network Secretariat for sustainable governance and collaboration. The RPHL Network leads Modules 1 and 2, while MI plays a central role as the fund overseer and implementer of Module 3.
COUNTRY OF IMPLEMENTATION
Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam
Expected Outcomes
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
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Activities
Module 1
- Accelerating the development of National Laboratory Strategic Plans (NLSPs), leveraging national multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms and peer-to-peer support
- Enhancing quality management systems through participation in External Quality Assessment (EQA) schemes and supporting national Proficiency Testing (PT) panel production
- Strengthening the regional laboratory workforce
Module 2
- Embedding knowledge sharing and collaboration
- Scaling up RPHL Network’s Community of Practice
Module 3
- Enhancing the core processes of the RPHL Network Secretariat
- Capacity building for the RPHL Network Secretariat
- Recruiting staff to strengthen the RPHL Network Secretariat
