The Republic of Botswana and the World Health Organization have jointly announced the prestigious designation of the Botswana National HIV Reference Laboratory as a WHO Collaborating Centre of Excellence. This esteemed recognition underscores the laboratory’s exceptional contributions in the realm of HIV diagnosis and its potential for deeper collaboration with WHO to advance the health and well-being of individuals living with HIV.
Botswana’s remarkable progress in enhancing its diagnostic and laboratory systems is noteworthy, particularly in domains like human capacity development, swift identification and management of health events and outbreaks, reduction in laboratory result turnaround times, expansion of the national public health laboratory testing repertoire, utilization of genomic sequencing to identify emerging potent signals, and the accreditation of laboratories to offer improved and high-quality services.
The attainment of these stringent standards not only positions Botswana’s public laboratories at par with the finest global counterparts but also instills confidence in both patients and healthcare providers that accurate disease diagnosis underpins patient management and care.
Notably, the Botswana National HIV Reference Laboratory holds accreditation not just to ISO 15189 standards but also the esteemed distinction of being designated as a WHO HIV Drug Resistance laboratory (WHO HIV ResNet-HIV Drug Resistance Network) in 2019. The operational framework of WHO’s HIV drug resistance laboratory guides the functioning of WHO HIVResNet laboratories, bolstering national, regional, and global HIV drug resistance surveillance. These labs deliver precise genotyping results in a standardized format aligned with WHO specifications.
In light of these exceptional advancements, the Government of Botswana took a strategic step to proclaim the Botswana National HIV Reference Laboratory as a WHO Collaborating Centre for HIV drug resistance and other diagnostic testing. This momentous decision was solidified through the signing of the designation by His Excellency Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of WHO, in Gaborone, Botswana, earlier today.
Dr. Masisi expressed, “The conferment of WHO Collaborating Centre of Excellence status to this laboratory instills confidence in our nation’s trajectory towards achieving the WHO 2030 goal for epidemic control.”
Dr. Tedros added, “The Botswana National HIV Reference Laboratory has consistently stood as a beacon of excellence in addressing the challenges posed by HIV. Its role in providing accurate diagnoses and crucial information empowers the healthcare sector and communities at large to make informed, patient-centric choices. WHO takes immense pride in embracing this laboratory as a Collaborating Centre and eagerly anticipates deeper collaboration to furnish the requisite support and care for individuals living with HIV.”
