Email this article 
Hide
Show all
Lessons from the Field
A new matrix for scoring the functionality of national laboratory networks in Africa: introducing the LABNET scorecard
Submitted: 30 May 2016 | Published: 31 October 2016
About the author(s)
Pascale Ondoa, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), Department of Global Health, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, NetherlandsTjeerd Datema, Royal Tropical Institute Biomedical Research (KIT), Amsterdam, the Netherlands and DATOS, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Mah-Sere Keita-Sow, African Society of Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Linda Oskam, Royal Tropical Institute Biomedical Research (KIT), Amsterdam, the Netherlands and DATOS, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jean-Bosco Ndihokubwayo, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
Jocelyn Isadore, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
John Nkengasong, Division of Global HIV and TB, International Laboratory Branch, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Kim Lewis, Association of Public Health Laboratories, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Abstract
Background: Functional national laboratory networks and systems are indispensable to the achievement of global health security targets according to the International Health Regulations. The lack of indicators to measure the functionality of national laboratory network has limited the efficiency of past and current interventions to enhance laboratory capacity in resourcelimited-settings.
Scorecard for laboratory networks: We have developed a matrix for the assessment of national laboratory network functionality and progress thereof, with support from the African Society of Laboratory Medicine and the Association of Public Health Laboratories. The laboratory network (LABNET) scorecard was designed to: (1) Measure the status of nine overarching core capabilities of laboratory network required to achieve global health security targets, as recommended by the main normative standards; (2) Complement the World Health Organization joint external evaluation tool for the assessment of health system preparedness to International Health Regulations (2005) by providing detailed information on laboratory systems; and (3) Serve as a clear roadmap to guide the stepwise implementation of laboratory capability to prevent, detect and act upon infectious threats.
Conclusions: The application of the LABNET scorecard under the coordination of the African Society of Laboratory Medicine and the Association of Public Health Laboratories could contribute to the design, monitoring and evaluation of upcoming Global Health Security Agenda-supported laboratory capacity building programmes in sub Saharan-Africa and other resource-limited settings, and inform the development of national laboratory policies and strategic plans. Endorsement by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa is foreseen.
Keywords
Metrics
Total abstract views: 7749Total article views: 14818
Crossref Citations
1. Development of dried tube specimens for Xpert MTB/RIF proficiency testing
Kyle DeGruy, Katherine Klein, Zilma Rey, Patricia Hall, Andrea Kim, Heather Alexander
African Journal of Laboratory Medicine vol: 9 issue: 1 year: 2020
doi: 10.4102/ajlm.v9i1.1166
2. National laboratory policies and plans in sub-Saharan African countries: gaps and opportunities
Pascale Ondoa, Ankie Van der Broek, Christel Jansen, Hilde De Bruijn, Constance Schultsz
African Journal of Laboratory Medicine vol: 6 issue: 1 year: 2017
doi: 10.4102/ajlm.v6i1.578
3. An assessment of the laboratory network in Ghana: A national-level ATLAS survey (2019–2020)
Emma E. Kploanyi, Joseph Kenu, Benedicta K. Atsu, David A. Opare, Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Lee F. Schroeder, David W. Dowdy, Alfred E. Yawson, Ernest Kenu
African Journal of Laboratory Medicine vol: 12 issue: 1 year: 2023
doi: 10.4102/ajlm.v12i1.1844
4. Strengthening Outbreak Detection in Africa to Achieve the 7-1-7 Global Framework: Challenges and Opportunities
Frantz Jean Louis, Lisa Nichols, Cristina de la Torre, Anicet G. Dahourou
Public Health Reviews vol: 46 year: 2025
doi: 10.3389/phrs.2025.1608039
5. Preparing national tiered laboratory systems and networks to advance diagnostics in Africa and meet the continent’s health agenda: Insights into priority areas for improvement
Pascale Ondoa, Nqobile Ndlovu, Mah-Sere Keita, Marguerite Massinga-Loembe, Yenew Kebede, Collins Odhiambo, Teferi Mekonen, Aytenew Ashenafi, Amha Kebede, John Nkengasong
African Journal of Laboratory Medicine vol: 9 issue: 2 year: 2020
doi: 10.4102/ajlm.v9i2.1103
6. Strengthening Jordan’s Laboratory Capacity for Communicable Diseases: A Comprehensive Multi-Method Mapping Toward Harmonized National Laboratories and Evidence-Informed Public Health Planning
Dalia Kashef Zayed, Ruba A. Al-Smadi, Mohammad Almaayteh, Thekryat Al-Hjouj, Ola Hamdan, Ammar Abu Ghalyoun, Omar Alsaleh, Tariq Abu Touk, Saddam Nawaf Almaseidin, Thaira Madi, Samar Khaled Hassan, Muna Horabi, Adel Belbiesi, Tareq L. Mukattash, Ala’a B. Al-Tammemi
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health vol: 22 issue: 9 first page: 1459 year: 2025
doi: 10.3390/ijerph22091459
7. Global trends in bioterrorism and biosecurity research publications (1997–2025): A Scopus bibliometric analysis
Festus Mulakoli, Samwel Gesaka, John Mbataru
Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health vol: 9 issue: 2 year: 2026
doi: 10.37432/jieph-d-25-00200
8. A global proficiency testing programme for Xpert® MTB/RIF using dried tube specimens, 2013–2015
Katherine Klein, Kyle DeGruy, Zilma Rey, Patricia Hall, Andrea Kim, Steve Gutreuter, Heather Alexander
African Journal of Laboratory Medicine vol: 9 issue: 1 year: 2020
doi: 10.4102/ajlm.v9i1.1167
9. Strengthening Biorisk Management Capacities in Burkina Faso: Contribution of the Global Health Security Agenda
Emilie Dama, Arnaud Orelle, Abdoulaye Nikiema, Patrick D. Mandingar, Alphonse Naby, Gérard B. Bationo, Mah-Séré Kéita, Antoine Pierson, Charles Sawadogo, Rebecca Greco Koné
Health Security vol: 20 issue: 6 first page: 479 year: 2022
doi: 10.1089/hs.2019.0069
10. Africa CDC: Establishing Integrated Surveillance and Laboratory Networks for Rapid Disease Detection and Response, Control, Prevention, and Clinical Care in Africa
Timothy Amukele
African Journal of Laboratory Medicine vol: 6 issue: 1 year: 2017
doi: 10.4102/ajlm.v6i1.638
11. Applying a Standardized Approach to Strengthen Performances of GeneXpert Networks programme: lessons learned from Burkina Faso, 2019
Riccardo Alagna, T. Léon Sawadogo, Elisa Tagliani, Adjima Combary, Daniela Maria Cirillo
ERJ Open Research vol: 6 issue: 4 first page: 00283-2020 year: 2020
doi: 10.1183/23120541.00283-2020
12. Improving National Intelligence for Public Health Preparedness: a methodological approach to finding local multi-sector indicators for health security
Ngozi A Erondu, Afifah Rahman-Shepherd, Mishal S Khan, Ebba Abate, Emmanuel Agogo, Evelien Belfroid, Osman Dar, Angela Fehr, Lara Hollmann, Chikwe Ihekweazu, Aamer Ikram, Bjorn Gunnar Iversen, Alemnesh H Mirkuzie, Tayyab Razi Rathore, Neil Squires, Ebere Okereke
BMJ Global Health vol: 6 issue: 1 first page: e004227 year: 2021
doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004227