123 participants of 13 national lab authorities, networks and partners gathering at the 2023 Annual Partnership Forum to craft the laboratory capacity-building plan for the next 5 years

     Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Regional Public Health Laboratory (RPHL) Network, established in 2019 under the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), was well acknowledged as one of the proactive regional laboratory capacity-building mechanisms.

     Under leadership of Dr. Supakit Sirilak, Director General of Department of Medical Sciences, the Department of Medical Sciences, as the secretariat of the RPHL network in cooperation with FIND and DTRA hosted the 2nd annual RPHL Partnership Forum, from May 15-17, 2023 at the Miracle Grand Convention Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

     The event welcomed 123 participants representing national laboratories from 13 countries in Asia and the Pacific (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam), as well as laboratory experts and partners (including the GHSA Chair from Pakistan, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Private Sector Round Table, DTRA-BTRP, WHO SEARO, Sandia National Labs, US CDC, UK HSA, ASEAN Secretariat, CBRN, CHAI, WOAH, Mekong Institute, IQLS, MORU, FHI 360, DUKE-NUS, SEAOHUN, ASEAN Plus 3 FETN, and others).

     The forum updates the progress of network including key findings of the ‘Situational Assessment’ to guide the development of 5-year capacity building development plan for the network.  During the forum, the network reviewed country gaps and needs in national lab capacities and engaged with partners to identify opportunities for mutual benefit for the post COVID-19 era. The network and partners collectively discussed 62 possible activities across four groups of key thematic areas in the form of trainings, technical assistance, and knowledge sharing. The network narrowed this down to 20 priority activities that will synergize regional efforts for the upcoming year.

     Furthermore, the RPHL network considered modalities for better governance and continued network sustainability emphasizing sharing responsibilities among members. made voluntary commitments to take on future roles in the network

     All members valued the Annual Partnership Forum as a common platform to be annually held with Cambodia and Brunei Darussalam volunteered to host the forum in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

     The forum was held in the spirit of network solidarity.