Session 4: Moving forward together on generic laboratory strengthening (NMFP15/8)

15th National Microbiology Focal Points meeting

Amanda Ozin, Senior Expert Microbiology, Office of the Chief Scientist

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

15th NMFP, Stockholm, 13-14 October 2016

1

Session goals

• Receive feedback and agree on way forward for developing ECDC-NMFP joint activity proposals for generic laboratory strengthening (NMFP15/8 Annex 1)

– Area 1: Laboratory quality

– Area 2: Laboratory biosafety

• Provide opportunity for our key partners to share their good practices and to identify areas of collaboration and synergy

– WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe)

– European Biosafety Association (EBSA)

2

Expected session outcomes

• Feedback to be consolidated into:

– Internal ECDC project plan to secure appropriate funding and staff resources 2017-2018 aligned to the ECDC Country Support Strategy

– Proposals for areas of collaboration with WHO/Europe and EBSA* laboratory strengthening activities

– Communication to ECDC partner countries (NMFP/CCBs) for their expressions of interest for participation in one or more proposed generic laboratory strengthening activities (NMFP15/8 Annex 1)

*Pending development of a Memorandum of Understanding

3

ECDC mandate and vision for public health microbiology in the EU

• Reg (EC)251/2004 “By encouraging cooperation between expertand reference laboratories, the Centre shall foster the developmentof sufficient capacity …for the diagnosis, detection, identificationand characterization of infectious agents which may threaten publichealth”

• ECDC PHM programme goal (2012): “to provide timely andreliable information for infectious disease prevention and control atMember State and EU level”

• Dec 1082/2013 “to improve preparedness planning for seriouscross-border health threats across the EU and strengthen thecapacity to coordinate response to health emergencies”

• IHR (2005): ECDC to support countries to build capacities todetect, assess and report public health events

4

International Health Regulations

• NEW 2016! Joint External Evaluation Tool (JEET)

5

6

7

ECDC collection of “information” for action

• Mapping, monitoring of laboratory, and iterative feedback at NMFP meetings on capacities and capabilities in the EU/EEA countries

− Past mapping activities PHM systems (2008-2010)

− Laboratory quality & biosafety consultations (2009-2011)

− EULabCap (2013 and 2014 data reports)

− Feedback survey on EULabCap (2013 data report)

8

EULabCap – Laboratory capacities and capabilities assessment and monitoring system

• Aims to provide information (for action) at EU and MS levelon:

− PHM strengths and vulnerabilities

− Priorities for improvements

− Impact of capacity support activities and health systemreforms

• “Generic” areas (laboratory quality and biosafety) covered in

– Target 1.1: Regulation of clinical microbiology

– Target 2.1: Regulation of NRLs

• Explore EULabCap “signals”: indicators 1.13,1.14, 2.11, 2.14

Source: EULabCap report 2014 data

9

EULabCap – Laboratory Quality/Biosafety

Source: EULabCap report 2014 data

10

EULabCap – Laboratory Quality/Biosafety

Source: EULabCap report 2014 data

11

NMFP iterative feedback on laboratory quality/safety activity areas (2008-2010)

Source: Fostering collaboration in public health microbiology in the European Union. Stockholm: ECDC; 2010

12Sources: ECDC reports: Ensuring quality in public health microbiology laboratories in the EU (2009); Core functions of reference laboratories (2010); Laboratory networks and biosafety communities. How to make biosafety pan-European? (2011)

• Information: Increase awareness of existing international quality standards and positive impact on quality assurance (QA) practice and biorisk management (BRM); Exchange good practice QA/BRM (mapping) with focus on NRL accreditation and BRM standards

• Education: Training for QA and biorisk managers; common curriculum BRM; consider specific target groups

• Financial resources: Evidence-based advocacy regarding costs-benefits implementation of QA and BRM

• Advocacy: Structure promoting quality assurance at the national level; Engaged management to support the implementation and maintenance of QA and BRM systems;

NMFP iterative feedback on laboratory quality/safety (2008-2010)

13

TODAY! Invited speakers – opportunities for collaboration and synergy

• Update on WHO laboratory strengthening initiatives

– Pamela Hepple, Technical Officer, WHO/Europe

• European Biosafety Association –a pan-European approach to biorisk management

– Gijsbert van Willigen, President of the European Biosafety Association (EBSA)

14

Capacity building opportunities/synergies

• Laboratory Quality

– WHO Laboratory quality management training toolkit and implementation tools

– WHO Mentoring programme

– ECDC EUPHEM training module

• Laboratory Biosafety

– WHO Biorisk management (train-the-trainers) course

– WHO Infectious Substances Shipment Training

– EBSA annual conference training workshops

– EBSA sponsorship programme

– ECDC EUPHEM training module

15

From evidence to proposed activities (NMFP15/8 - Annex 1) – “Quality”

16

From evidence to proposed activities (NMFP15/8 - Annex 1) – “Biosafety”

17

Discussion questions

• Are the proposed generic laboratory strengthening activities (NMFP15/8 - Annex 1):

– Of interest/relevant to all (or some) of the countries represented by NMFPs?

– Clear in scope, methods and expected outcomes?

– Feasible for NMFP contribution along the proposed deliverables and timelines?

18

Thank you for listening,

ECDC.Microbiology@ecdc.europa.eu

All ECDC presentations will be available on SlideShare:http://www.slideshare.net/tag/15nmfp2016