Guide for providing technical support to TB laboratories in low- and middle-income countries

The Secretariat for the Global Laboratory Initiative (GLI) has published a new document which provides guidance on technical support required for TB laboratories in low-and middle-income countries.

This guide is intended to familiarize those who are providing technical assistance to TB laboratories in low- and middle-income countries with WHO recommendations and international best practices. Since an important function of the GLI is harmonization of the technical assistance provided by its many partners to TB laboratories in high-burden countries, it is critical that the guidance provided by GLI partners be consistent with WHO global policy and guidelines.
 
The guide may be used as a training resource for new TB laboratory consultants or as refresher training for established consultants prior to a technical assistance assignment. The manual is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of topics to be considered before and during an assignment. In addition, those providing technical assistance may also use the guide as a reference for resources and tools which may be used before or during an assignment, such as identifying where to find the latest guidance to training materials. Because many of these materials are revised from time to time, the reader is advised to refer to the GLI or WHO websites where the latest versions of these resources will be available.
 
This guide is not intended to be a comprehensive manual or to repeat information already provided by other guidance documents. Rather it is intended to orient those providing technical assistance, and to provide context and commentary on the provision of technical assistance in low- and middle-income countries.

This guide is available here.

The most up-to-date WHO policy guidance and resources can be found here.