Improving access to quality-assured laboratory services in Uzbekistan

Well-functioning and sustainable laboratory services that adhere to international standards of quality and safety are essential for strong health systems and are crucial to improving public health. In Uzbekistan, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Better Labs for Better Health (Better Labs) initiative was deployed to tackle the issue of public laboratories, particularly those in rural areas, not being able to provide quality services for the detection, assessment, response, notification and monitoring of health threats. This initiative has had a positive impact on the quality and safety of laboratory services in the country, enabling them to provide reliable and timely results, and strengthening the public health system's capacity to comply with International Health Regulations. The investment in laboratory services saw great success in 2020, with the national reference centre for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) becoming the first laboratory to be accredited ISO-15189, the international standard specifying requirements for the quality and competence of medical laboratories.  Read full story