Pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system and related challenges in Liberia

African Journal of Laboratory Medicine

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system and related challenges in Liberia
 
Creator Kennedy, Stephen B. Dogba, John B. Wasunna, Christine L. Sahr, Philip Eastman, Candace B. Bolay, Fatorma K. Mason, Gloria T. Kieh, Mark W.S.
 
Subject laboratory medicine Liberia; Laboratory System; Ministry of Health (MoH); Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs); Ebola Virus Diseases (EVD); Human Resource Capacity; Laboratory Diagnostic Services
Description Prior to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia, the laboratory system was duplicativefragmented and minimally coordinated. The National Reference Laboratory was conceptualisedto address the existing challenges by promoting the implementation of effective and sustainablelaboratory services in Liberia. However, in a resource-limited environment such as Liberiaprogress regarding the rebuilding of the health system can be relatively slow, while efforts tosustain the transient gains remain a key challenge for the Ministry of Health. In this paper, wedescribe the pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system in Liberia and its prevailing efforts toaddress future emerging infectious diseases, as well as current Infectious diseases, all of whichare exacerbated by poverty. We conclude that laboratory and diagnostic services in Liberiahave encountered numerous challenges regarding its efforts to strengthen the healthcaredelivery system. These challenges include limited trained human resource capacity, inadequateinfrastructure, and a lack of coordination. As with most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, whencomparing urban and rural settings, diagnostic and clinical services are generally skewedtoward urban health facilities and private, faith-based health facilities. We recommend thatstructured policy be directed at these challenges for national institutions to develop guidelinesto improve, strengthen and sustain diagnostic and curative laboratory services to effectivelyaddress current infectious diseases and prepare for future emerging and re-emerging infectiousdiseases.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2016-10-31
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/octet-stream text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ajlm.v5i3.508
 
Source African Journal of Laboratory Medicine; Vol 5, No 3 (2016); 5 pages 2225-2010 2225-2002
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/508/700 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/508/699 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/508/701 https://ajlmonline.org/index.php/ajlm/article/view/508/682
 
Coverage Africa; Liberia; West Africa — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2016 Stephen B. Kennedy, John B. Dogba, Christine L. Wasunna, Philip Sahr, Candace B. Eastman, Fatorma K. Bolay, Gloria T. Mason, Mark W.S. Kieh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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