Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Details for Mechanism ID: 12632
Country/Region: Caribbean Region
Year: 2013
Main Partner: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: Implementing Agency
Funding Agency: HHS/CDC
Total Funding: $0

The purpose of this mechanism is to enhance overall capacity building amongst laboratories within the region through pre- and in-service training of laboratory personnel in Jamaica, Suriname, Belize, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Training will focus on key testing areas and quality systems essential components.

This implementing mechanism is in direct support of USG Caribbean Partnership Framework Goal for Laboratory System Goal 3, Objective 3.2: Improve laboratory services and systems, sub-objective 3.2.4: Human Capacity. Laboratory training also supports Partnership Framework Goal 4: Health Systems Strengthening which includes human capacity development and overall health system sustainability. This mechanism will enhance in country capacity and produce a cadre of well-trained clinical laboratory personnel, which will facilitate regular and consistent testing and release of quality results to support HIV prevention, care and treatment activities.

This mechanism will be monitored by the number of laboratory personnel trained.

Funding for Laboratory Infrastructure (HLAB): $0

The funds for this activity were reduced by OGAC. Laboratory support for capacity building in Bahamas, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and Barbados will be through cooperative agreements with these governments. For the rest of the countries supported by the Caribbean Regional Program (Jamaica, Suriname, Belize, St Kits and Nevis, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda and St Vincent and the Grenadines), a TBD partner will conduct regional trainings to enhance in- country capacity of laboratory staff. Training workshop content areas will be: 1) TB diagnosis and EQA for AFB smear microscopy; 2) Good Clinical Laboratory practices (GCLP); 3) HIV rapid testing (including algorithm development, quality testing and use of logbooks); 4) and other areas of wet laboratory training.

1) Quality TB diagnosis is currently a significant challenge within the region; therefore the TBD partner will organize regional training on TB diagnosis facilitated by CDC, African Center for Integrated Laboratory Training (ACILT) and American Society for Microbiology (ASM) mentors. The purpose will be to develop and strengthen national EQA programs for Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy, enabling the national and regional level laboratories to implement and manage TB smear microscopy programs in the laboratory network

2) The TBD partner will also organize regional training on Good Clinical Laboratory Practices (GCLP) that will involve core lectures on laboratory aspects such as housekeeping, personnel, financial and records management, quality control and quality assurance practices, laboratory safety and shipment of dangerous goods.

3) The TBD partner will conduct trainings on HIV rapid testing, including algorithm development, quality testing and use of logbooks. Technical support will be provided by the GAP International Laboratory Branch at CDC Atlanta

4) TBD partner will collaborate with Clinical Cytometry and Analytical Society (CCAS) to organize an annual multidisciplinary training that will bring together clinical and laboratory personnel focused on wet laboratory practices in selected topical issues in the practice of clinical laboratory.

Furthermore, selected laboratory staff from the region will be sent to the International Laboratory Branch at CDC Atlanta to be trained on the use of both manual and automated Roche Amplicor methods for early infant HIV diagnosis (EID) to support PMTCT programs within the region. Other international trainings involving lab staff from these countries will include advanced trainings in CD4, clinical chemistry, hematology, Bio-safety and laboratory management as they prepare for accreditation.

Subpartners Total: $0
African Field Epidemiology Network: NA