St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda – September 2026 (PAHO/WHO) Antigua and Barbuda is strengthening the quality, reliability and sustainability of its laboratory services, following a two-day technical assessment conducted at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre.
The assessment, conducted from 6-9 September 2026 by experts from the Global Laboratory Epidemiology Strengthening Services Network (GLESSN), was supported by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) through the Pandemic Fund project for Eastern Caribbean Countries.
The initiative is supporting Antigua and Barbuda in strengthening its laboratory systems core capacities under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and advancing readiness for accreditation in accordance with ISO 15189:2022, the international standard for quality and competence in medical laboratories.
The assessment included direct observation, review of laboratory documentation and implementation, staff competency, risk management practices, and corrective action processes. Attention was given to the scope of testing performed by the Molecular and Microbiology units which provide infectious disease public health data for decision makers.
A key principle emphasized during the assessment was that a laboratory must be able to demonstrate that it documents what it does, implements what is documented, and demonstrates that its processes are effective.
“We are pleased to collaborate with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Environment and national laboratory stakeholders to advance their goals for strengthening laboratory services. High-quality laboratory services play a vital role in protecting patients, detecting and monitoring diseases, supporting timely outbreak response, and building health system resilience,” said Dr. Eva Jané Llopis, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries.
The activity forms part of broader efforts under the Pandemic Fund project to strengthen laboratory systems and capacities for the prevention, detection and response to emerging health threats in Antigua and Barbuda and across participating Eastern Caribbean countries.
