GHSCO Updates2

KDCA Boosts Lao PDR’s Genomic Surveillance with Landmark Training

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has significantly advanced public health capabilities in Lao PDR through a collaborative initiative focused on strengthening genomic surveillance, particularly for food-borne illnesses. This effort falls under the “Strengthening Health Emergencies Preparedness and Enhancing Response to Disease Outbreak (SHEPERD)” project, launched in 2022, which aims to bolster long-term public health crisis response across the Mekong River region by fostering information sharing and establishing a reginal hub.

From February 10 to 14, KDCA experts visited Lao PDR the National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE), Lao PDR’s national reference laboratory, to provide crucial support. The core mission of this visit was to enhance NCLE’s diagnostic and analytical capacities, with a specific emphasis on the detection and response to food-borne illnesses and outbreaks. A major milestone of this collaboration was the first Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) conducted in Lao PDR. Officials from the Ministry of Health Lao PDR received comprehensive training on the latest WGS diagnostic and analytical techniques.

Group photo of KDCA experts and LAO PDR Ministry of Health officials at NCLE building

Given that Salmonella is a primary bacterial pathogen responsible for food-borne illness and related outbreaks, the training included structured instruction on various aspects of Salmonella characterization. This ranged from library preparation for serotyping to result analysis, providing both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in genomic sequencing and data analysis. The training also addressed practical challenges, covering common types of errors and introducing effective solutions encountered during the WGS analysis process.

Furthermore, Lao PDR officials gained hands-on experience in critical analytical capacities essential for interpreting WGS data and ensuring quality control, thereby laying a robust foundation for advanced diagnostic analysis within the country.

These advancements are expected to significantly strengthen outbreak surveillance and response capabilities in Lao PDR.

KDCA’s support, through technology transfer and knowledge sharing, is posed to deepen the partnership between KDCA and the Ministry of Health of Lao PDR. This collaboration is anticipated to create meaningful synergy in building stronger public health emergency response systems. Moving forward, KDCA reiterates its commitment to collaborating with global health partners, supporting the development of more resilient and responsive public health systems worldwide.