TB Laboratory Strengthening:

The Annual Tuberculosis (TB) Laboratory Project workshop with National TB Reference Laboratory managers from 23 countries in West and Central Africa, 11-13 December 2023. The main objective was to take stock of activities carried out within the framework of the TB Laboratory project.

TB Laboratory project is a project initiated in 2019 and funded by the Global Fund against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GF), coordinated by the WHO-TB Supranational Reference Laboratory of Cotonou in Benin (SRL Benin). The workshop was supported by WHO/TDR, the West African Regional Network for Tuberculosis Control (WARN-TB), and the Central African Regional Network for TB Control (CARN-TB). National TB Programme and National TB Reference laboratories from 23 African countries participated[1].

TB Laboratory project is in phase 2 of the implementation, starting in 2022-2024. The workshop was organized with a focus on the 2022 performance framework of the TB Laboratory project, the overview of the activities carried out in 2023, achievements, challenges and the planned activities for 2024.

Country representatives were updated on the recent WHO guidelines and tools and their impact on TB diagnosis in Africa. Countries shared experience in conducting Drug Resistance Surveys of TB (including operational research) and implementing Quality Management (QMS) towards ISO 1519 accreditation. The National TB Reference Laboratory (NTRL) of Cameroon was congratulated for achieving the ISO 15189 accreditation. Lessons learnt from 5 years of the TB Laboratory project implementation and perspectives have been shared and discussed.

Among innovations brought by the TB Laboratory project, there are 1) integrated sample transportation systems and 2) equipment maintenance as services that will improve TB case detection in West and Central African countries and be impactful for the TB Programmes.

However, the lack of funding to sustain the project beyond 2024 has been expressed as a huge challenge calling for the GF and partners to increase funding to make the TB Laboratory network fully operating to meet the End TB Strategy milestones and targets. The SRL Benin will have its funding from the GF slashed to 0.9US$mio for the next 3 years, less than one-sixth of the previous amount, which is a big cut (versus 6 US$mio for 2022-2024).

WHO/AFRO/UCN to advocate for more funding for the SRL Benin beyond 2024 allowing the TB Laboratory project to continue.