By NATION REPORTER
THE American government, through the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), in partnership with the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) has announced a US$2.5 million for the establishment of an Integrated Pathogen Genomics Laboratory in Zambia.
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The US embassy in Zambia says as part of a broader shared vision to counter public health threats, the investment in the new laboratory would help detect and respond to viruses and bacteria from across southern Africa.
The announcement was made at the 3rd annual international conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA) co-hosted by Zambia, the ZNPHI and Africa CDC from November 27-30, 2023, under the theme: “Breaking Barriers: Repositioning Africa in the Global Health Architecture.”
The United States explains that the Integrated Pathogen Genomics Laboratory in Zambia was part of a broader effort to improve laboratory capacity across the 10-country Southern Africa region starting in 2024.
It said in a statement that the US$2.5 million catalytic investment from U.S. CDC shall work as provision of intensive technical support build upon over 20 years of partnership with the U.S. CDC in Zambia to advance disease surveillance.
“The commitment to advance pathogen genomics surveillance collaboration in southern Africa will significantly enhance the capacity for rapid and accurate pathogen surveillance, contributing to proactive and evidence-based public health responses,” the statement said.
It said the U.S. CDC’s Principal Deputy Director, Dr. Nirav D. Shah, who is attending CPHIA, explained that CDC’s work in pathogen genomics, particularly in Africa and with ZNPHI, would expand upon existing genomics and bioinformatics capacities for respiratory disease readiness.
Establishing an Integrated Pathogen Genomics Laboratory in Zambia builds upon the capacity within the Zambia Genomic Surveillance Consortium, which is composed of the ZNPHI, Ministry of Health partners, and a network of seven sequencing laboratories throughout the country, that was originally established to scale up SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance,” Dr Shah said.
And ZNPHI Director Professor Roma Chilengi echoed the value that National Public Health institutes (NPHIs) has been contributing to national security.
“NPHIs are science-based institutions that promote health by conducting and coordinating public health functions and programs to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats,” Prof Chilengi said.
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