Clinical Laboratory Testing Harmonization and Standardization- A Consensus
Meeting
January 22-24, Maputo, Mozambique
"Helping to Expand Quality Testing to Improve the Care and Treatment of People
Infected With and Affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria"
Principal Sponsors:
U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, World Health Organization-AFRO,
The Clinton Foundation, UK Department for International Development, The Gates
Foundation, The Global Fund, The World Bank, Médecins Sans Frontières and other
sponsors TBA.
Technical program drafted by:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization-AFRO
The proper diagnosis, care and treatment of persons infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and
Malaria requires the strengthening of laboratory health systems. One of the key elements of this effort is
the standardization of tests, reagents, consumables and equipment needed at each level in the tiered
laboratory system within a country. Harmonization and standardization of these commodities can improve
procurement processes, inventory management, distribution systems and equipment maintenance. This
meeting is intended to bring experts and policy makers together with external partners to develop consensus
on laboratory commodities by tiered laboratory level. This effort represents part of the overall strategy to
strengthen laboratory health systems.
The objectives of this conference are:



To develop a list of supply needs at each tiered laboratory level and classify them as Vital (critical
for the laboratory to operate), Essential (the laboratory should have available), or Needed (good to
have but not critical for laboratory operations).
To provide a platform for country-level policy makers and laboratory professionals in strategic
planning and to harmonize equipment acquisition.
To provide guidance on key technical issues, including maintenance/service contracts and
equipment certification.
Three consensus documents will be produced and distributed for implementation consideration:



“Guidelines for the classification of Vital, Essential, or Needed laboratory supplies at each level
of a tiered laboratory system.”
“Guidelines for strategic planning and equipment acquisition at each level of a tiered laboratory
system”
“Guidelines for developing maintenance and service contracts, equipment certification, and other
technical issues by tiered laboratory systems”
Attendees
In addition to participants from the sponsor and partner organizations, each country (see below) will be
represented by a policy maker, a representative of laboratory operations, and the CDC Lab Director for that
country, as available.
Our meeting space is very limited, and therefore admission will be by invitation only. Country
representatives may be able to obtain funding for the conference through our sponsors. Details will
be made available in the official invitation to follow.
Participating Countries:
Angola, Botswana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cambodia, Chad, Cote D'Ivoire, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia,
Eritrea, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe