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Burundi equips itself with a P3 Laboratory
11/15/2024 The Editorial Staff 0
The lab represents a major step forward in our ability to combat one of the greatest threats to public health, according to various stakeholders.
The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Lydwine Baradahana, inaugurated a P3 level biosafety laboratory at the National Institute of Public Health in Burundi (INSP) on Friday, November 8, 2024. This state-of-the-art laboratory, funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and UNDP, will strengthen the diagnosis and management of serious infectious diseases, while contributing to the training of Burundian medical personnel.
A P3 biosafety laboratory, often referred to by the acronym BSL-3 (Biosafety Level 3), is a highly secure research environment designed to handle pathogens that can cause serious illness in humans or animals, but for which effective treatments or preventative measures are available.
"We express our most sincere thanks to the Global Fund for this funding offered to Burundi and managed by the United Nations Development Programme in Burundi, which ensured, as you have seen and heard, the construction of this P3 security level laboratory which is intended for the diagnosis of tuberculosis ," declared the Minister of Public Health.
During the inauguration ceremony, Dr Baradahana highlighted the importance of this project for the Burundian health system: “This significant donation provides us with a cutting-edge infrastructure to diagnose and treat highly infectious pathologies.”
She added that the infrastructure will enable the country to ensure safer and more accurate diagnostics for pathogens such as tuberculosis and Marburg virus, while minimizing the risks of contamination. This P3 level laboratory makes Burundi one of the countries in Central Africa to have such a facility.
A significant step forward
She also highlighted the potential of this laboratory to strengthen the public health system, saying: "This laboratory represents a major step forward in our ability to combat one of the greatest threats to public health."
According to Dr Baradahana, this P3 biosafety facility will not only be used to diagnose and treat infectious diseases. But it will also play a role in training healthcare professionals: “By strengthening the skills of our healthcare personnel, we are investing in the future of our healthcare system. This ensures the sustainability of our efforts and ensures quality service for all. This laboratory will not only be a research space, it will also be a training center for our healthcare professionals ,” she said.
This approach aims to ensure that operators are well prepared to use this complex infrastructure and to strengthen local capacities in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. “By investing in the development of the skills of our staff, we will strengthen our health system and ensure the sustainability of our efforts ,” she added.
Ability to treat highly contagious pathogens
Joseph Nyandwi, Director General of INSP, spoke to detail the importance of this biosafety infrastructure, capable of handling highly contagious pathogens. He explained that “this laboratory increases the diagnostic capacity of INSP… and will allow for the surveillance of epidemics ,” specifying that its design ensures maximum security thanks to negative pressure technology. “This laboratory will prevent the pathogen from escaping and contaminating the air, and therefore, will contaminate the population ,” he said.
This installation ensures that pathogens, even in the event of a leak, do not end up in the ambient air, thus increasing safety for both operators and the general public.
For Nyandwi, the acquisition of this P3 level laboratory is also an asset in the fight against antibiotic resistance, particularly through sensitivity tests. "The laboratory will also make it possible to carry out antibiotic sensitivity tests for multi-resistant tuberculosis, paving the way for appropriate treatments ," he added.
This infrastructure should also contribute to in-depth research to identify other pathogens, and the data collected will enable the Burundian health system to make decisions based on scientific evidence.
The director of the INSP stressed the importance of having an advanced biosafety laboratory to meet the requirements for the control of these diseases: "This laboratory will be used to diagnose highly contagious pathogens such as Marburg, tuberculosis and other infections."
A crucial infrastructure for Burundi and its neighboring countries.
"This facility is an advantage for Burundi as well as for neighboring countries, such as Tanzania and the DRC, which will also be able to benefit from this cutting-edge equipment." Mathieu Ciowela, UNDP Resident Representative in Burundi
Mathieu Ciowela, UNDP Resident Representative in Burundi, for his part stressed the innovative and strategic nature of this project for Burundi and the region. He praised the collective efforts that made this facility possible, highlighting the international and local expertise mobilized to ensure its quality. "With this laboratory, Burundi will have access to a platform for diagnosis and much more in-depth studies in the medical field ," he said, adding that this infrastructure will " certainly allow savings of several kinds" because it makes it unnecessary to send samples to foreign laboratories.
Ciowela also noted the positive impact that this laboratory could have beyond Burundi's borders: "This facility is an advantage both for Burundi and for neighboring countries such as Tanzania and the DRC, which will also be able to benefit from this cutting-edge equipment." For him, the infrastructure marks a regional advance in the fight against infectious diseases.
This P3 biosafety laboratory therefore fills a significant gap in the country's health capacities. According to Ciowela, "with this laboratory, Burundi has the possibility of diagnosing and treating diseases that require a high level of biosafety." This represents a major asset in responding to future health threats.
The total cost of this installation is estimated at approximately 1,124,000 dollars (3,324,965,203 FBu). This represents a substantial investment in the Burundian health system.
https://www.iwacu-burundi.org/le-burundi-sequipe-dun-laboratoire-p3/
---------------------------------
Ministry of Public Health Burundi (MSPLS)@mspls_bdi
Nov 8
Reception on 08/11/2024 by Minister Dr. @Lydwinebara
of @mspls_bdi, from the # P3 Safety Biological Containment Laboratory built at #INSP_Bdi by the @PNUDBurundi
with #financing from the #Global #Fund with a cost of 1,124,000 USD, or approximately 3,234,965,263 BIF.
...
Burundi equips itself with a P3 Laboratory
11/15/2024 The Editorial Staff 0
The lab represents a major step forward in our ability to combat one of the greatest threats to public health, according to various stakeholders.
The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Lydwine Baradahana, inaugurated a P3 level biosafety laboratory at the National Institute of Public Health in Burundi (INSP) on Friday, November 8, 2024. This state-of-the-art laboratory, funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and UNDP, will strengthen the diagnosis and management of serious infectious diseases, while contributing to the training of Burundian medical personnel.
A P3 biosafety laboratory, often referred to by the acronym BSL-3 (Biosafety Level 3), is a highly secure research environment designed to handle pathogens that can cause serious illness in humans or animals, but for which effective treatments or preventative measures are available.
"We express our most sincere thanks to the Global Fund for this funding offered to Burundi and managed by the United Nations Development Programme in Burundi, which ensured, as you have seen and heard, the construction of this P3 security level laboratory which is intended for the diagnosis of tuberculosis ," declared the Minister of Public Health.
During the inauguration ceremony, Dr Baradahana highlighted the importance of this project for the Burundian health system: “This significant donation provides us with a cutting-edge infrastructure to diagnose and treat highly infectious pathologies.”
She added that the infrastructure will enable the country to ensure safer and more accurate diagnostics for pathogens such as tuberculosis and Marburg virus, while minimizing the risks of contamination. This P3 level laboratory makes Burundi one of the countries in Central Africa to have such a facility.
A significant step forward
She also highlighted the potential of this laboratory to strengthen the public health system, saying: "This laboratory represents a major step forward in our ability to combat one of the greatest threats to public health."
According to Dr Baradahana, this P3 biosafety facility will not only be used to diagnose and treat infectious diseases. But it will also play a role in training healthcare professionals: “By strengthening the skills of our healthcare personnel, we are investing in the future of our healthcare system. This ensures the sustainability of our efforts and ensures quality service for all. This laboratory will not only be a research space, it will also be a training center for our healthcare professionals ,” she said.
This approach aims to ensure that operators are well prepared to use this complex infrastructure and to strengthen local capacities in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. “By investing in the development of the skills of our staff, we will strengthen our health system and ensure the sustainability of our efforts ,” she added.
Ability to treat highly contagious pathogens
Joseph Nyandwi, Director General of INSP, spoke to detail the importance of this biosafety infrastructure, capable of handling highly contagious pathogens. He explained that “this laboratory increases the diagnostic capacity of INSP… and will allow for the surveillance of epidemics ,” specifying that its design ensures maximum security thanks to negative pressure technology. “This laboratory will prevent the pathogen from escaping and contaminating the air, and therefore, will contaminate the population ,” he said.
This installation ensures that pathogens, even in the event of a leak, do not end up in the ambient air, thus increasing safety for both operators and the general public.
For Nyandwi, the acquisition of this P3 level laboratory is also an asset in the fight against antibiotic resistance, particularly through sensitivity tests. "The laboratory will also make it possible to carry out antibiotic sensitivity tests for multi-resistant tuberculosis, paving the way for appropriate treatments ," he added.
This infrastructure should also contribute to in-depth research to identify other pathogens, and the data collected will enable the Burundian health system to make decisions based on scientific evidence.
The director of the INSP stressed the importance of having an advanced biosafety laboratory to meet the requirements for the control of these diseases: "This laboratory will be used to diagnose highly contagious pathogens such as Marburg, tuberculosis and other infections."
A crucial infrastructure for Burundi and its neighboring countries.
"This facility is an advantage for Burundi as well as for neighboring countries, such as Tanzania and the DRC, which will also be able to benefit from this cutting-edge equipment." Mathieu Ciowela, UNDP Resident Representative in Burundi
Mathieu Ciowela, UNDP Resident Representative in Burundi, for his part stressed the innovative and strategic nature of this project for Burundi and the region. He praised the collective efforts that made this facility possible, highlighting the international and local expertise mobilized to ensure its quality. "With this laboratory, Burundi will have access to a platform for diagnosis and much more in-depth studies in the medical field ," he said, adding that this infrastructure will " certainly allow savings of several kinds" because it makes it unnecessary to send samples to foreign laboratories.
Ciowela also noted the positive impact that this laboratory could have beyond Burundi's borders: "This facility is an advantage both for Burundi and for neighboring countries such as Tanzania and the DRC, which will also be able to benefit from this cutting-edge equipment." For him, the infrastructure marks a regional advance in the fight against infectious diseases.
This P3 biosafety laboratory therefore fills a significant gap in the country's health capacities. According to Ciowela, "with this laboratory, Burundi has the possibility of diagnosing and treating diseases that require a high level of biosafety." This represents a major asset in responding to future health threats.
The total cost of this installation is estimated at approximately 1,124,000 dollars (3,324,965,203 FBu). This represents a substantial investment in the Burundian health system.
https://www.iwacu-burundi.org/le-burundi-sequipe-dun-laboratoire-p3/
---------------------------------
Ministry of Public Health Burundi (MSPLS)@mspls_bdi
Nov 8
Reception on 08/11/2024 by Minister Dr. @Lydwinebara
of @mspls_bdi, from the # P3 Safety Biological Containment Laboratory built at #INSP_Bdi by the @PNUDBurundi
with #financing from the #Global #Fund with a cost of 1,124,000 USD, or approximately 3,234,965,263 BIF.
...