MR Lab Network - ISS-G20 Laboratorium Repository

Strategy:

Develop and maintain an accredited measles and rubella laboratory network that supports every country or area in the country for measles elimination and rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) control

Progress

Measles-rubella surveillance in the Region is backed up by a WHO-accredited network of measles-rubella laboratories with at least one proficient laboratory in each of the countries, and supported by a Regional Reference Laboratory within the National Institute of Health, Thailand. 

The South East Asia Regional MR Laboratory Network was established by 2003 as integral part of the WHO Global MR Laboratory Network. SEAR laboratory network has expanded from 23 laboratories in 2013 to 49 in 2021 with at least 26 MR laboratories conducting both serology and RT-PCR for measles and rubella and four laboratories also conducting sequencing. To ensure that each laboratory is recognized as “proficient”, an onsite accreditation review of laboratory practices is conducted annually.

Entire content available on: https://www.who.int/southeastasia/activities/mr-lab-network