Lab Matters Winter 2024 | Page 5

PRESIDENT ’ S AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ’ S MESSAGE occur to people and businesses if that work does not continue to be funded .

Crumpler : People are genuinely interested in what we do as well as why we do it — the stories that our laboratory staffers share with county leadership every month , as well as presenting at national conferences and producing publications for the interested public generate a lot of interest . When we can link our work to state funding sources , there is a greater opportunity for that state funding source to remain in the budget because the story is a tangible link to the work that is being performed . It ’ s not just funding that disappears within the walls of the laboratory … it influences our communities .

Becker : And those communities are not just here , they are around the world . APHL is privileged to have offices in 10 countries , as well as a presence in many other countries to assist with laboratory strengthening . The association works with many global partners as well to put those foundations in place to establish a global community of public health laboratory and professionals for the next outbreak , which , as we know , is only a plane ride away .

In that global laboratory system , do you see United States public health laboratories as leading a country down a specific path to establish a system , or empowering countries and partners with the knowledge to strengthen their public health laboratory systems ?

Becker : The US does some things well , and I also think our laboratory system does things very well . But when it comes to a global presence , there ’ s no such thing as an ideal archetype . You know I am very fond of saying , “ If you ’ ve seen one public health laboratory , you ’ ve seen one public health laboratory .” Virtually any public health system in the US faces some sort of resource constraints , and the processes of what is prioritized can be handled a thousand different ways . For international public health systems , that reality is no different .

Crumpler : APHL ’ s twinning program is a great example of a process where all involved take away some new processes that they hadn ’ t thought of before . Anytime you walk into another laboratory ,

When we talk about public health and politics at the national and local level , they are inextricably linked because we serve the public . ... Although public health is often seen as a left-leaning field , it isn ’ t . APHL and its members serve all the people all of the time .”

you ’ re going to learn something from them because they have their own procedures and policies that work within their own facilities . And even though APHL is taking the lead in facilitating those twinning relationships , the actual exercise is for the benefit of all parties . It ’ s not just APHL members going in and helping these other laboratories — it ’ s a two-way sharing experience .

Becker : The term that comes to my mind is “ glocalization ” which is defined as the practice of conducting business according to both local and global considerations . Within APHL , we don ’ t represent public health laboratories outside the US . That is a conscious decision because we cannot support those laboratories in the same way as we support those within the US . That ’ s why we choose to contribute globally on laboratory system strengthening through workforce technology and training , practices , protocols and other ways .

Crumpler : That is a really great point , Scott , and really defines what we do . For example , at the request of CDC , the HIV , Viral Hepatitis and STI Subcommittee created a training course on rapid plasma reagin testing for syphilis . Since it is an online course , it can be used for both domestic and international laboratory staff . It is currently available in the APHL Learning Center , along with many other courses and webinars .

Becker : And that work will continue , no matter the politics . We are the steady hand , and we will adjust no matter what happens . g