Partners In Health

The recent COVID-19 pandemic and other large outbreaks have triggered critical discussions on how to address severe limitations to clinical diagnostics and surveillance capacity. Specifically, new and expanded molecular biology laboratory capacity is an urgent need in order to enhance pandemic preparedness systems and clinical laboratory services. Partners In Health (PIH) is a non-profit, global health organization that fights social injustice by bringing the benefits of modern medical science first and foremost to the most vulnerable communities around the world. PIH focuses on those who would not otherwise have access to quality health care and partners with the world’s leading academic institutions to create rigorous evidence that shapes more sound and all-inclusive global health policies. PIH also supports local governments’ efforts to build capacity and strengthen national health systems.

Currently operating in 11 countries, PIH supports Ministries of Health to provide direct care to millions of patients, through public facilities and community engagement. Laboratory systems are a core component of these clinical systems, and the PIH’s Pandemic Preparedness & Response (P3R) strategy focuses on laboratory strengthening in order to simultaneously improve the quality of clinical diagnostics as well as build capacity for robust and sustainable surveillance systems. This consultancy focuses on these core objectives by spurring a rapid assessment across several of the sites where PIH works to develop comprehensive operational plans for molecular biology laboratories.

The primary objective of the consultancy is to undergo comprehensive operational planning for first-time implementation of a molecular biology laboratory at one of several government hospitals that are supported by Partners In Health. This will include a rapid needs assessment and collaboration with teams across several PIH country sites in order to write a detailed ‘how to’ or operational guide that identifies key  needs including but not limited to infrastructure, procurement, SOP development, technical expertise, HR needs, and policy, to envision new molecular labs as a future part of the existing clinical laboratory system and in consensus with existing molecular methods as per the respective Ministry of Health (MOH).