Strengthening the Shipping of Biological Specimens for Rapid Disease Detection and Response
Since 2016, the WHO Global Influenza Program (GIP) has been supporting the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in conducting regular infectious substances shipment training (ISST) as part of a One Health initiative. This training ensures the safe and efficient global transport of diagnostic specimens. In June 2024, a regional ISST was held in Dakar, Senegal, with 14 participants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal. The group included 12 participants from the animal health sector and two from public health, specifically the WHO National Influenza Centre at the Institute Pasteur de Dakar.
Emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases pose significant risks to health security, threaten livelihoods, and can cause major economic impacts, including trade disruptions. In today’s interconnected world, rapidly detecting, accurately diagnosing, and effectively responding to disease outbreaks is essential for containing outbreaks and minimizing their socio-economic effects.
Advanced molecular epidemiology plays a key role in understanding disease transmission pathways, which often involves sending specimens to specialized laboratories such as FAO, WHO, or WOAH reference centers. Timely and secure shipment of biological specimens is critical, but international regulations require that personnel sending infectious substances are trained and certified in accordance with international standards. FAO identified that many veterinary laboratories in developing countries either lack certified staff or have personnel with expired certifications, potentially causing delays in disease confirmation and response.
To address this, WHO GIP has been working with FAO to provide ISST for West and Central African countries since 2016. The training, based on WHO-produced materials, leads to certification in “Transport of Infectious Substances by Air,” enabling participants to ship dangerous pathogens in compliance with international regulations.
Background
FAO has partnered with USAID since 2004 to enhance prevention, detection, and response capabilities for animal and public health emergencies. Through the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), USAID has helped strengthen animal health systems across Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Near East. A global grant agreement (2022-2027) worth $250 million supports efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging infectious diseases, particularly those originating from animals. These initiatives aim to improve livelihoods, food security, and health, while also building resilient systems for preparedness and response to future epidemics and pandemics.
With two decades of collaboration, USAID and FAO have worked with governments, the private sector, and regional partners to establish robust health security measures. WHO GIP’s regular training efforts contribute to these endeavors, ensuring that global systems are prepared to handle human and animal health threats effectively.
