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Laboratory Division Mission Statement
To strengthen National Laboratory capabilities by providing
Microbiology Reference and Referral Services, Training and Appropriate
Research for Surveillance and control of Communicable Diseases.
Areas of Technical Co-operation
Reference and referral services in Microbiology, Immunology and Medical Entomology for all 21 CAREC Member Countries (CMCs)
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Support for rapid investigation of disease outbreaks in CMCs
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Support for Public Health Programmes in
CMCs by strengthening technical and laboratory management skills in
public and private laboratories through training and advisory services
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Advocacy for policy development in support of improved quality of laboratory services in CMCs
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Selected research in the areas of
microbiology, immunology and vector management, aimed at developing
appropriate technology to guide effective laboratory diagnosis in CMCs
Major Programme Areas
The operational areas based on the
laboratory disciplines utilized in support of surveillance and control
activities are supported by a laboratory management system which
includes key aspects of quality assurance, laboratory safety and
information systems.
Virology
Support for surveillance and control of viruses of public health
importance is provided to CMCs. These include laboratory identification
of vector borne diseases e.g. dengue and yellow fever, as well as
diarrhoeal diseases e.g. rotavirus, etc. Support is also provided for
surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases(measles, rubella,
poliomyelitis) as part of the EPI programme in the Caribbean. Reference
services for confirmatory testing of HIV, hepatitis and HTLV-1 are
ongoing activities.
Parasitology
Studies are done on the changing patterns of human parasitisms in CMCs.
In addition, appropriate methods for diagnosis of these parasitisms are
developed, and training for technologists in applying these
methodologies is conducted.
Diseases of public health importance supported by this section include
those caused by blood parasites such as malaria, and gut parasites
including a variety of worms.
Medical Entomology
This area provides support for the control of vector borne diseases
(e.g. dengue, yellow fever, malaria) in CMCs. Studies are done on the
biology and behaviour of blood-sucking arthropod vectors of disease in
the Caribbean. Relevant methods for the management of these pests are
developed and demonstrated to CMC vector management authorities.
Bacteriology
Provision of reference and referral service for common bacterial
infections of public health importance in the Caribbean is the focus of
this section's activity. Among the more important diseases investigated
in this section are:
Enteric pathogens e.g. cholera,
salmonella, shigella Mycobacterial infections e.g. tuberculosis
Sexually transmitted diseases e.g. gonorrhoea Leptospirosis
Surveillance of antimicrobial patterns of susceptibility in the Caribbean is a key function of this area
Immunology
In response to emerging member country needs, this new unit provides
reference services for the investigation of immunologically based
diseases e.g. connective tissue diseases, SLE, as well as for the
monitoring of the progression of diseases such as HIV/AIDS through
provision of immunophenotyping services. Cost
recovery for laboratory services has been piloted in this area through
provision of tissue typing services for organ transplants.
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