global health
Linking Lab Systems and
Workforce Development via GHSA
by Samantha Dittrich, MPH, manager, Global Health Security Agenda
Since 2015, Thailand has facilitated
implementation of two Global Health
Security Agenda (GHSA) Action Packages—
Detect 1: National Laboratory System
and Detect 5: Workforce Development
for the Asia region. In February, the
Royal Thai Government’s Department of
Disease Control, in collaboration with the
Department of Medical Sciences and the
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Department of Livestock Development,
convened a three-day regional meeting to
share experiences and lessons from work
on the two action packages.
The meeting identified and prioritized
collaborative areas, activities and
mechanisms in human and animal
health based upon International
Health Regulations and Performance of
Veterinary Services core competencies.
Launched by the US Government in
February 2014, GHSA is an effort by nations,
international organizations and civil society
to accelerate progress toward a world safe
and secure from infectious disease threats
and to promote global health security as an
international priority. GHSA aims to strengthen
global and national capacity to prevent, detect
and respond to human and animal infectious
disease threats through a multi-lateral, multi-
sectoral approach.
22
LAB MATTERS Spring 2018
Participants included representatives
from 19 countries, the GHSA Workforce
Development Action Package, the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Secretariat, development partners, and
the Thai Ministries of Agriculture and
Cooperatives and of Public Health.
Using examples from APHL global health
and training programs, Samantha Dittrich
discussed how international partners can
contribute to laboratory and workforce
development. She shared examples
from APHL’s Emerging Leader Program,
Foundations of Laboratory Leadership
and Management, Biosafety Cabinet User
Training and the GHSA LABNET Scorecard
Assessment.
Dr. Leonard Peruski from the US Centers
of Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) provided an update on the Global
GHSA Action Packages detail practices for
preemptively guarding against threats to
global health security, establish mechanisms
by which a country can determine when a
threat has arisen, and emphasize the tools
and capacity necessary to address threats as
they are occurring.
Below: Participants from the GHSA Regional Meeting in
Bangkok.
Samantha Dittrich presents on APHL global training programs
and activities
Laboratory Leadership Program (GLLP).
The effort—a partnership between APHL,
CDC, the European Centre for Disease
Prevention and Control, the Food and
Agriculture Organization, the World
Organisation for Animal Health and the
World Health Organization—is taking
a “One Health” approach to design a
competency-based, and laboratory-
specific training program for laboratory
leaders. The GLLP is envisioned to be a
two-year fellowship program similar in
idea to the Field Epidemiology Training
Program (FETP) but designed specifically
for developing laboratory leaders.
More meetings to facilitate collaboration
across regions, sectors and GHSA action
packages are anticipated to ensure
implementation of priority activities. n
DIGITAL EXTRA:
Through its GHSA Regional Coordinating
Office, Thailand also spearheaded
development of the Regional Strategic
Roadmap on Laboratory System
Strengthening (2016-2020) and the
Regional Strategic Framework for Public
Health Workforce Development and
Systems Strengthening on Epidemiology
(2016-2020), which were developed
collaboratively with participating
countries.
PublicHealthLabs
@APHL
APHL.org