Better Labs for Better Health initiative
Better Labs for Better Health initiative seeks to provide sustainable improvements to the quality of all laboratories that deal with health.
The WHO Regional Office for Europe launched the Better Labs for Better Health initiative in 2012, based on the principles of the Maputo Declaration, the conference on Health Laboratory Quality Systems, and to support implementation of the national core capacities under the International Health Regulations (IHR).
The Better Labs for Better Health initiative aims to provide timely and accurate laboratory results from accredited laboratories that are trusted by the user, from all laboratories dealing with human and animal health, environmental, food safety, chemical and radionuclear laboratories, both public and private . This is achieved through focus on four areas:
- development of national laboratory policies and strategic plans in countries lacking a legal and regulatory framework for laboratories;
- improvement of national training programs and implementation of laboratory quality management systems;
- establishing networks for emergency preparedness and response; and
- advocacy, partnership and leadership.
Table: Better Labs for Better Health KPIs (key performance indicators)* and targets for 2018–2019
| Better Labs for Better Health | KPI | Result | Target | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-2015 | 2016-2017 | 2018-2019 | ||
| Area 1: Development of national laboratory policies and strategic plans | Number of Member States implementing their action plan to improve national lab services | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Area 2: Improve national training programmes and implement laboratory quality management systems | Number of public health laboratories with trained laboratory managers in Member States where laboratories are mentored | 34 labs in 8 Member States | 65 labs in 9 Member States | 100 labs in 10 Member States |
| Area 3: Establish networks for preparedness and response | Number of national laboratory focal points in south-eastern European and central Asian Member States | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Number of Member States having completed situational analysis of HTP (Health Technologies and Pharmaceuticals) diagnostics | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
| Area 4: Advocacy, partnership and leadership | Number of partners’ meetings held | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Number of guidance or advocacy documents disseminate | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| Number of peer-reviewed papers published | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
*BLBH’s committed Member States 2012–2017 were Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine have committed in 2018–2019.
