News
Sustainable Laboratories for Key-Population Led HIV and STI Services in Thailand: Mentoring and Twinning Lead to Government Accreditation and Financing
In Thailand, medical laboratory diagnostic services including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests can only be performed and reported by a Medical Technologist (MT) with licensing from the Thailand Medical Technology Council.
An Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Declared in Uganda
On September 20, 2022, Uganda’s health authorities declared an Ebola Virus disease (EVD) outbreak after a case was confirmed by the Uganda Virus Research Institute. The case is a 24-year-old male from whom a sample was taken after the investigation of six suspicious deaths in the Mubende district in the country’s central region. This outbreak is the first occurrence of the Sudan strain that Uganda has experienced in over a decade. Note that the Sudan variant of Ebola is endemic in Uganda and Sudan and the disease it causes is not clinically distinguishable from other Ebola strains.
Readying Countries for the Next Infectious Disease Outbreak
Janet Robinson, portfolio director of FHI 360’s Emerging Infectious Diseases and Health Security (EIDHS) group, speaks about a now-familiar type of humanitarian crisis: infectious disease outbreaks.
Robust Supply Chain Systems: The Backbone for Quality Laboratory Services and Health Care
Laboratory services are an often under-recognized, yet vital component of any health care system. Though the impact of these services goes unseen for the vast majority of patients, it is estimated that about 75% of clinical decisions in general hospital services are guided by laboratory findings [1]. Studies also suggest that laboratory costs account for less than 5% of health system costs but in turn affect the remaining 95% of costs [2]. In simple terms, a proper investment in laboratory service provision is a low-cost way to improve health outcomes many times over.