Geneva, Switzerland --
Due to the sudden rise of extensively
drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and the
call of the World Health Organization (WHO)
for a rapid response to this far-reaching
crisis, The Foundation for Innovative New
Diagnostics (FIND), together with several
of its partners, is addressing this urgent
threat and has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Ministry of Health of the
Kingdom of Lesotho, effective April 1, 2007, in
which they agree to collaborate closely in
accelerating and strengthening the laboratory
services in Lesotho in preparation of the
introduction of rapid culture, drug
susceptibility testing and species
identification systems.
The Ministry of Health will facilitate and coordinate several
levels of support for the rehabilitation of existing TB culture
laboratory services as well as institute human resources
capacity building programs. FIND will establish a
demonstration project for the implementation of modern and rapid
technologies for TB culture and drug-susceptibility testing.
This project will consist of three phases.
The first will establish high-quality smear microscopy,
including all aspects of quality assurance and training; solid
culture and drug-susceptibility testing on egg-based culture
media; and phenotypic identification of Mycobacterium
TB. The second will consist of monitoring and
conducting activities that will prepare the Central TB
Laboratory for the introduction of an automated liquid culture
system, a methodology that gives more sensitive and rapid
results. The third phase will demonstrate the feasibility and
public health impact of using automated liquid culture and rapid
species identification in Lesotho’s national reference
laboratory.
Through the logistical and technical input of the WHO and with the participation and contribution
of Partners in Health, a non-governmental organization that
provides services in areas profoundly affected by suboptimal
health care services, FIND and its partners are moving together
in establishing a structured two-year action program towards
realizing these laboratory strengthening objectives.
“It is of great importance that a comprehensive approach be
used in upgrading the health care systems in resource-limited
settings, which means that objectively enhancing laboratory
capacity, in concert with the development of improved tools to
diagnose life-threatening diseases, will play a vital role in
these areas,” said Dr. Giorgio Roscigno, FIND Chief Executive
Officer.
Dr. Mario Raviglione, Director of WHO's Stop TB Department,
noted, "With this support, the Government of Lesotho can be
among the pathfinders in the region in expanding capacity to
diagnose drug-resistant TB and serve those suffering now, and
those at risk. Without such capacity, TB, as well as HIV
treatment and care, will be compromised. We applaud the work of
FIND and partners in enabling this response to the deadly
threats of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and XDR-TB."
At the end of this two-year project, the Kingdom of Lesotho
will have a state-of-the-art mycobacteriology laboratory capable
of addressing the challenges posed by the multi- and extensively
drug-resistant TB crisis comparable to any in the developed
world.
About FIND
The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics is a non-profit
foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. Its purpose is to
support and promote the health of people in developing countries
by sponsoring the development and introduction of new but
affordable diagnostic tools for poverty related diseases. FIND’s
current donors include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
USAID, the European Union and the Dutch Government.
Media inquiries:
Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)
Jewel Thomas,
Communications and Advocacy Coordinator
Tel.: +41 (0) 22 / 710 27 86
E-mail:
jewel.thomas@finddiagnostics.org
FIND
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