National Public Health Laboratory and WHO Nepal collaborate to expand provincial MR laboratory surveillance networks

The National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), in technical collaboration with WHO Nepal, organized a four-day training (9-12 February) on measles and rubella (MR) serological diagnosis for laboratory technicians from Provincial Public Health Laboratories (PPHLs) and B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Koshi Province.

A total of 10 laboratory technicians were trained by master trainers to independently perform MR serological testing. Participants also received training on laboratory case reporting and data management in line with WHO reporting standards and laboratory performance indicators.

The laboratory coordinator at WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) and WHO Nepal surveillance officers facilitated sessions on enrolling new measles-rubella laboratories into the Global Measles Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN) and laboratory accreditation performance criteria, such as timeliness, accuracy, quality control and proficiency testing.

“Building the capacity of Provincial Public Health Laboratories as subnational Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) laboratories is a strategic intervention under Nepal’s MR Elimination Roadmap,” said Dr Balwinder Singh, Immunization and Vaccine Preventable Diseases (IVD) Team Lead at WHO Nepal. “It supports VPD Surveillance Transition Plan, including laboratory transition by enabling suspected VPD samples to be tested at the provincial level, ensuring timely laboratory confirmation for appropriate case management and urgent outbreak response.”

Along with enhancing provincial capacity for VPD case and outbreak detection, the initiative is expected to foster provincial ownership in laboratory confirmation of VPDs and other infectious diseases. With improved capacity, MR and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) samples can now be tested within provinces, enabling faster detection, reporting and outbreak confirmation.

In line with the MR Elimination Roadmap (2023–2026), WHO will support the establishment of subnational laboratories in Gandaki and Lumbini provinces. WHO’s technical assistance will further support the enrollment of these laboratories into the Global MR Laboratory Network, alongside ongoing quality assurance and accreditation processes.