Table 1 ASM LabCap CDC/PEPFAR select program country activities

Laboratory renovations

Working with 3 TB labs, including NTRL to assist with laboratory renovation design plans to implement TB culture capacity.

Offering ongoing technical guidance on the renovations of 2 national-level reference labs, which includes BSL-3 capacity, as well as provincial & district level labs

Offered TA to renovate 2 national-level & 5 regional labs for implementation of new TB diagnostics.

Procurement of equipment & supplies

Assisted NRL to develop lists of equipment, reagent and supply needs for three national TB laboratories seeking to implement TB culture capacity.

Worked with Kenyan stakeholders to identify & provide a list of required equipment and supplies for the central & provincial level microbiology labs

National-level training workshops

Worked with national team to customize the consensus AFB Smear Microscopy Training Package for Botswana & prepare a plan to roll out the training to lab workers nationally.

Together with CDC & national TB TWG, customized & rolled-out ASM-translated ACILT French TB culture & DST course at NTRL.

With the Central Microbiology Reference Laboratory (CMRL), conducted basic microbiology workshops for Provincial and District Level-5 laboratory technologists

Assisted with facilitating national-level molecular biology training events to reinforce new diagnostic methods.

National EQA schemes

Conducted a pre-implementation assessment of Botswana’s existing TB and Bacteriology EQA program then worked with the national EQA Unit and National Health Laboratory to develop a comprehensive expansion plan & the supporting documentation (forms, procedures, and electronic databases).

Offered TA to NTCP to help implement blinded rechecking of sputum smears & strengthen supervisory visit methodology for the national TB microscopy EQA program.

Offered TA to assist establishment of national EQA schemes to monitor quality, initially as related to a national drug resistance survey.

Establishment/ expansion of National Reference Laboratory

Assisted with the improvement of antimicrobial resistance surveillance.

Working with NRL to redefine core functions for microbiology, STIs & TB.

Working with NPHLS & CDC-Kenya to define & establish the core functions of the CMRL.

SOPs

Technical guidance offered review & revision of national SOPs, including standardizing procedures & forms for the national QA program & AST.

Worked with NPHLS & CMRL staff to identify essential tests for the CMRL & develop the corresponding SOPs; developing national microbiology SOPs.

Reviewed & recommended updates to 31 technical SOPs for TB to be used as nationally-approved standardized SOPs.

National Strategic Planning & Policy Development

Working with NHL’s Microbiology Laboratory to expand services and strengthen microbiology services nationally. Assisted with formulating a strategic plan to upgrade the NHL’s capacity & transfer routine testing to a new hospital lab.

Participated in MOH-driven National Strategic Planning Workshop for TB, HIV and Malaria labs & offered recommendations for integrating lab services, as well as assisting with guiding elaboration of key policy documents.

WHO-AFRO & international accreditation

Assisting, via onsite mentoring, 2 national-level labs with achieving WHO-AFRO accreditation status, using ASM-translated disease specific & lab management training modules.

Mentoring the CMRL and provincial microbiology labs to achieve WHO/AFRO accreditation goals.

Assisting, via onsite mentoring & technical guidance, 3 national-level labs with incorporating QMS principles toward achieving WHO-AFRO accreditation status.