Global Laboratory Leadership Programme for the Balkan subregion: meeting report: 12–13 June 2024, Bled, Slovenia

Overview

Effective and sustainable laboratory services are important components of robust health systems. They adhere to international quality and safety standards and play a key role in enhancing public health. Consequently, strong leadership within laboratories is essential for maintaining a functional laboratory system. However, there are currently only a few programmes that focus on developing such leadership. A distinctive multisectoral collaboration involving the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization (‎WHO)‎, World Organisation for Animal Health (‎WOAH)‎, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (‎ECDC)‎, United States Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (‎US CDC)‎ and Association of Public Health Laboratories (‎APHL)‎ developed the Global Laboratory Leadership Programme (‎GLLP)‎. GLLP is a competency-based programme aimed at laboratory professionals in the human, animal and environmental health sectors. The goal of the Programme is to foster and mentor laboratory leaders who can develop, enhance and maintain national laboratory systems, thereby supporting countries’ ability to respond to future outbreaks and health emergencies. GLLP has been implemented in 30 countries through different approaches. In the Balkan subregion, GLLP commenced in the Republic of Moldova in June 2021.