Date: July 2024 – October 2024
Country : Madagascar
For the Ministry of Health of Madagascar, IQLS undertook a comprehensive evaluation of 24 laboratories across the country to develop an investment plan supported by World Bank funding. The evaluation focused on four critical components essential for laboratory functionality and sustainability: human resources (HR), equipment, infrastructure, and biosafety and biosecurity systems. This approach aimed to provide a holistic assessment that addressed both immediate and long-term needs for strengthening Madagascar’s public health laboratory system.
The results of the evaluation led to the development of a detailed proposition that included infrastructure rehabilitation, the construction of new facilities where necessary, and the strategic addition of human resources and equipment to fill critical gaps. This proposal is designed to enhance the operational efficiency, diagnostic capacity, and overall resilience of Madagascar’s laboratory network.
Given the vast geographic spread and challenging terrain of Madagascar, IQLS organized six field missions between August and early October 2024 to cover all 24 laboratories. Each mission was composed of a team including one laboratory expert and one infrastructure specialist. The missions required extensive travel, employing diverse means of transportation, including road, air, and even boat, to access laboratories in remote and underserved regions. This logistical complexity underscores the commitment of IQLS to ensuring that no laboratory was overlooked in the assessment process, regardless of its location.
The findings from these missions provide a solid foundation for targeted investments that will significantly improve Madagascar’s laboratory capacities, aligning with international standards and addressing critical gaps in human resources, infrastructure, and biosafety. These efforts are expected to bolster the country’s ability to conduct accurate diagnostics, respond to public health emergencies, and contribute to global health security
