This TBD mechanism is intended to support a requested non-competitive CDC cooperative agreement (under review) with the Institut Pasteur Cote d'Ivoire (IPCI), which serves as the national reference laboratory for microbiology and the core of the TB national laboratory network in Cote d'Ivoire. IPCI delivers quality laboratory services related to HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis, and STIs and implements central-level surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation of laboratory activities.

This new partnership is designed to strengthen capacity and improve the quality of TB diagnostic laboratory services at IPCI, at six regional laboratories and six STI clinics, and within the lab network at both central and peripheral sites in support of Cote d'Ivoire's scale-up plan for HIV/AIDS-related services. The partnership will encompass three major activities: human resource and infrastructure development, development and implementation of a laboratory quality assurance system, and coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of centralized and decentralized laboratory activities. IPCI will strengthen its capacity to participate as a reference laboratory in national and international public health evaluations and will build capacity to provide quality laboratory diagnosis and surveillance of opportunistic infections related to HIV. Activities aimed at strengthening laboratory infrastructure will serve to improve HIV/AIDS opportunistic infection surveillance, improve the quality of laboratory data, and strengthen human resource capacities.

With a sub-grant from EGAPF, IPCI has performed initial assessments of the six regional laboratories and six clinical STI labs, procured equipment and lab reagents, provided minor renovations for six laboratory sites, and supported hiring and in-service training of lab technicians. This was done in coordination with EGPAF and key national stakholders, including the National TB Program (PNLT), National HIVAIDS Care and Treatment Program (PNPEC), the MOH department charged with developing and maintaining health infrastructure and equipment (DIEM), CDC/Retro-CI, and the Global Fund. IPCI financial procedures were strengthened by recruiting additional personnel and developing procedures for implementing the sub-grant.

FY 2010 funding in HVTB will allow IPCI to continue and build on these activities, as well as to sustain lab activities in support of the HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB programs. FY 2010 priorities include:

Capacity building at IPCI: The partner's financial, technical, and administrative management capacities will continue to be strengthened, including salary support for biologists, biotechnologists, and finance officers. IPCI's infrastructure will be upgraded with a focus on renovation and equipment of the media and reagents preparation units, to ensure the provision of quality products to the TB, STI, and OI laboratory network and reduce the risk of injury.

Quality management: The strategy is to strengthen the national external quality assurance program in TB and STI smear microscopy and rapid test diagnosis. IPCI will continue to assure national quality control for TB and STI diagnosis and support logistics for the quality-assurance program for TB and STI laboratory techniques. IPCI will provide at least two QA/QC site visits to each of the six regional lab and six STI clinics, as well as to 11 TB treatment centers.

Training and retention: The strategy is to strengthen IPCI's capacities to support the program by increasing the pool of trained biologists and biotechnologists with in-service training of six lab personnel at IPCI and support to INFAS to develop and/or strengthen pre-service training curricula for TB and STI microscopy and rapid tests. In-service training will be offered to 30 biotechnologists at peripheral labs. The regional laboratories of targeted regions will serve as centers of excellence for the country.

Equipment and maintenance: IPCI will work closely with the DIEM and SCMS to address maintenance issues at the six regional laboratories and in the network of TB laboratories.

Supply chain management systems: IPCI will work closely with the National Public Health Pharmacy (PSP) and SCMS to ensure that all TB and STI diagnosis laboratories are part of the national quantification and are included in the laboratory logistics management system that will be implemented in 2010.

Sample referral system: With technical assistance from the Becton-Dickinson public-private partnership and the PNLT, IPCI will develop a national sample referral system for all TB and STI specimens that will serve as the starting point for developing an integrated referral system for all types of laboratory biological specimens nationwide.

Monitoring and evaluation: In collaboration with the MOH's M&E unit (DIPE), the National Institute of Public Health (INHP), and the PNLT, IPCI will develop an M&E plan and provide technical assistance to sites implementing TB, OI, and STI diagnosis. This will include coaching and integrated supervision (on-site and at IPCI). Surveillance will be implemented for TB, OIs (S. pneumoniae and Salmonella), and STIs (N. gonorrhoeae).

This TBD mechanism is intended to support a requested non-competitive CDC cooperative agreement (under review) with the Institut Pasteur Cote d'Ivoire (IPCI), which serves as the national reference laboratory for microbiology and the core of the TB national laboratory network in Cote d'Ivoire. IPCI delivers quality laboratory services related to HIV/AIDS opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis, and STIs and implements central-level surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation of laboratory activities.

This new partnership is designed to strengthen capacity and improve the quality of TB diagnostic laboratory services at IPCI, at six regional laboratories and six STI clinics, and within the lab network at both central and peripheral sites in support of Cote d'Ivoire's scale-up plan for HIV/AIDS-related services. The partnership will encompass three major activities: human resource and infrastructure development, development and implementation of a laboratory quality assurance system, and coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of centralized and decentralized laboratory activities. IPCI will strengthen its capacity to participate as a reference laboratory in national and international public health evaluations and will build capacity to provide quality laboratory diagnosis and surveillance of opportunistic infections related to HIV. Activities aimed at strengthening laboratory infrastructure will serve to improve HIV/AIDS opportunistic infection surveillance, improve the quality of laboratory data, and strengthen human resource capacities.

With a sub-grant from EGAPF, IPCI has performed initial assessments of the six regional laboratories and six clinical STI labs, procured equipment and lab reagents, provided minor renovations for six laboratory sites, and supported hiring and in-service training of lab technicians. This was done in coordination with EGPAF and key national stakholders, including the National TB Program (PNLT), National HIVAIDS Care and Treatment Program (PNPEC), the MOH department charged with developing and maintaining health infrastructure and equipment (DIEM), CDC/Retro-CI, and the Global Fund. IPCI financial procedures were strengthened by recruiting additional personnel and developing procedures for implementing the sub-grant.

FY 2010 funding in HVTB will allow IPCI to continue and build on these activities, as well as to sustain lab activities in support of the HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB programs. FY 2010 priorities include:

Capacity building at IPCI: The partner's financial, technical, and administrative management capacities will continue to be strengthened, including salary support for biologists, biotechnologists, and finance officers. IPCI's infrastructure will be upgraded with a focus on renovation and equipment of the media and reagents preparation units, to ensure the provision of quality products to the TB, STI, and OI laboratory network and reduce the risk of injury.

Quality management: The strategy is to strengthen the national external quality assurance program in TB and STI smear microscopy and rapid test diagnosis. IPCI will continue to assure national quality control for TB and STI diagnosis and support logistics for the quality-assurance program for TB and STI laboratory techniques. IPCI will provide at least two QA/QC site visits to each of the six regional lab and six STI clinics, as well as to 11 TB treatment centers.

Training and retention: The strategy is to strengthen IPCI's capacities to support the program by increasing the pool of trained biologists and biotechnologists with in-service training of six lab personnel at IPCI and support to INFAS to develop and/or strengthen pre-service training curricula for TB and STI microscopy and rapid tests. In-service training will be offered to 30 biotechnologists at peripheral labs. The regional laboratories of targeted regions will serve as centers of excellence for the country.

Equipment and maintenance: IPCI will work closely with the DIEM and SCMS to address maintenance issues at the six regional laboratories and in the network of TB laboratories.

Supply chain management systems: IPCI will work closely with the National Public Health Pharmacy (PSP) and SCMS to ensure that all TB and STI diagnosis laboratories are part of the national quantification and are included in the laboratory logistics management system that will be implemented in 2010.

Sample referral system: With technical assistance from the Becton-Dickinson public-private partnership and the PNLT, IPCI will develop a national sample referral system for all TB and STI specimens that will serve as the starting point for developing an integrated referral system for all types of laboratory biological specimens nationwide.

Monitoring and evaluation: In collaboration with the MOH's M&E unit (DIPE), the National Institute of Public Health (INHP), and the PNLT, IPCI will develop an M&E plan and provide technical assistance to sites implementing TB, OI, and STI diagnosis. This will include coaching and integrated supervision (on-site and at IPCI). Surveillance will be implemented for TB, OIs (S. pneumoniae and Salmonella), and STIs (N. gonorrhoeae).