ArticleInfluenza and other respiratory viruses2023
Monitoring the quality of SARS-CoV-2 virus detection in molecular diagnostic laboratories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article in Influenza and other respiratory viruses, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Laboratory capacity-building during COVID-19 in Somalia: improving access to essential diagnostics for national health security in a fragile setting.Journal of epidemiology and global health · 2025Article
- Expansion of Laboratory Capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned and Future Strategies for Sustainability.Influenza and other respiratory viruses · 2024Article
- Monitoring the quality of SARS-CoV-2 virus detection in molecular diagnostic laboratories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region during the COVID-19 pandemic.Influenza and other respiratory viruses · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionThe COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented stress on laboratories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Building on existing capacity for influenza diagnostics, countries introduced COVID-19 diagnostic support to ~100% regional coverage. A key challenge during the expansion was maintaining quality testing in laboratories, ensuring that correct results were shared with medical facilities.
methodsWHO organized two rounds of independently monitored severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) external quality assurance programs (EQAP). The Public Health Laboratory (PHL) division of WHO supplied external quality assurance (EQA) panels, from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programme (RCPAQAP) Australia to laboratories not enrolled in recurring Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) quality assurance programs, in which national influenza centers routinely participate.
resultsFifteen and 14 countries participated in PHL/EQAP for SARS-CoV-2 between 2020 and 2022. Concordance was consistent between rounds, reaching 96.4% and 89.9%. A separate assessment of GISRS/EQAP to national-level laboratories identified high levels of response and concordance for SARS-CoV-2 (100% response, 93% concordance), which was reduced for influenza (50% response rate, 80% concordance), reflecting the challenge of prioritizing pathogens during outbreaks.
conclusionThe proliferation of laboratories in response to COVID-19 was a success story from the pandemic. However, monitoring the quality of laboratories was challenging via existing EQAP. The addition of PHL/EQAP provided a mechanism to monitor performance of laboratories that were not designated as national influenza centers. While a high proportion of laboratories attained good results, continual emphasis on quality and enrollment in EQAP is key to ensuring sustainability of laboratory testing in future.
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