Surveillance and detection of variants are critical tools in the fight against COVID-19. FHI 360 supports partner governments in building laboratory capacity, strengthening biosecurity and expanding diagnostic capabilities.
Diagnostic network strengthening
FHI 360 supports countries to detect COVID-19 by building infrastructure to improve laboratory capacity and diagnostic networks at the national and regional levels. This includes supporting specimen collection, ensuring adherence to biosafety and biosecurity standards and strengthening laboratory capacity and overall quality management systems. Through the Enhancing Global Health Security project, funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FHI 360 supports eight countries in Africa and Asia to strengthen their national laboratory systems, increase their capacity to detect threats early; respond to threats quickly; and strengthen and expand the public health workforce to prevent, detect and respond to emerging and priority diseases.
Laboratory and health facility biosecurity
FHI 360’s Emerging Infectious Disease and Health Security (EIDHS) team is composed of 100 in-country staff and 13 dedicated headquarters staff with years of experience tackling challenges in global health security and emerging infectious diseases. The EIDHS team works in 24 countries and is committed to strengthening health security capacity around the world. The team’s work builds on FHI 360’s more than 15 years of experience enhancing the capacity of countries to improve their diagnostic and surveillance systems to detect priority diseases. EIDHS supports the 11 critical areas prioritized by the Global Health Security Agenda to prevent and counter emerging infectious diseases.
