Biosafety and Biosecurity Challenges in the Caribbean Region

1. Biosafety and Biosecurity Challenges in the Caribbean Region Valerie Wilson Caribbean Med Labs Foundation Anticipating Global Biosecurity Challenges Istanbul, Turkey July, 2011

2. Outline • Caribbean Region – the realities • Biosafety Assessment Results • Major Issues • Some Solutions Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

3. Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

4. Caribbean Region • Key strategic location linking North and South America • Most tourism dependant region in the world: • North America • Europe • China • India • Highly vulnerable to biosafety and biosecurity risks – anthrax, H1N1, SARS, etc. • Major potential impact on economy and local and regional populations Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

5. Background • Caribbean Med Labs Foundation – Caribbean Region • 23 countries: • English, French, Spanish, Dutch • Major economic differences – GDPs: • Haiti - $600 US per capita • Cayman Islands - $44,000 US • Major population differences – Haiti – 8 million; Montserrat – 4,000 Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

6. Caribbean Med Labs Foundation • Objectives: • Developing the supportive environment for high quality regional laboratory services • Advocating at the highest levels for laws, regulations and accreditation of laboratories • Mobilising resources for lab strengthening • Mapping of a regional sustainability strategy Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

7. Bermuda The Caribbean Laboratory Network Caribbean Med Labs Foundation Guyana Suriname

8. Caribbean Biosafety Assessment Results

9. Target Institutions • Medical Labs • Public Health Labs • Veterinary Labs • Agriculture Labs • Labs conducting Zoonotic disease testing • Food and Water Labs Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

10. Assessment Tool • Total of 204 Questions in 20 Categories addressing: • General Infrastructure at National Level • International Health Regulations • Laboratory Safety Standards • Initial focus on medical and public health laboratories (major national labs) in 13 countries Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

11. Assessment Results General

12. Formal Network for Co-ordination of Laboratory Operations in country Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

13. Network and labs involved in Animal testing Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

14. Formal collaboration between MOH and Min of Agriculture on Zoonotic diseases Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

15. Assessment Results International Health Regulations

16. Adoption of WHO policies for laboratory biosafety nationally Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

17. National regulations or policies for laboratory biosafety Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

18. Regulatory framework for enforcement Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

19. Accessibility of biosafety guidelines Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

20. Responsibility for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity nationally Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

21. Biosafetly guidelines, manuals and SOP dissemination Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

22. Staff training in biosafety Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

23. National System for biosafety levels Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

24. Biosafety Inspection Responsibility Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

25. Implementation and Monitoring Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

26. Biorisk Assessments Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

27. Biocontainment Engineering Expertise Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

28. Assessment Results Laboratory Safety Standards

29. Laboratory Biosafety Levels • 13 countries responded • Only 2 of these countries have a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory (or Level 2.5 with 3 practices) – mainly developed for TB testing • There are 3 other Biosafety Level 3 labs already existing or under development within the region Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

30. Safety Management Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

31. PPE and other protective equipment Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

32. Major Issues and Solutions

33. Major Issues • Major gaps in biosafety implementation within the Caribbean region evident including: • Lack of national policies and regulatory mechanisms for biosafety • Lack of systems for biorisk assessment – nationally and at laboratory level • Challenge with assignment of time for safety functions • Limited adoption and monitoring of safety standards • Limited access to biosafety Level 3 facilities Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

34. Some Solutions • Regional reference laboratory for communicable diseases – CAREC/PAHO/WHO in 1975 – transitioning to Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) • Development of national reference laboratories has progressed significantly over the past 5-10 years e.g. Haiti, Dom Rep, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica (support from CDC, EU, etc.) • Small size of countries supports development of regional networks • Regional network laboratories require systems for ensuring efficient transport, facilitation of Customs, management of data, legislation, quality of results, financing • Capacity building for implementation of safety systems urgently needed Caribbean Med Labs Foundation

35. Special thanks to the members of the Caribbean Laboratory network for their support in conduct of the assessments, to IFBA for providing the initial guidance and funding http://cmedlabsfoundation.net