Biosafety and Biosecurity Challenges in the Caribbean Region

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Biosafety and Biosecurity Challenges in the
Caribbean Region

• Valerie Wilson
• Caribbean Med Labs Foundation
• Anticipating Global Biosecurity Challenges
• Istanbul, Turkey
• July, 2011

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Outline

• Caribbean Region the realities
• Biosafety Assessment Results
• Major Issues
• Some Solutions

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(No Transcript)
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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

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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

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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

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Bermuda
The Caribbean Laboratory Network
Guyana
Suriname
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Caribbean Biosafety Assessment Results
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Target Institutions

• Medical Labs
• Public Health Labs
• Veterinary Labs
• Agriculture Labs
• Labs conducting Zoonotic disease testing
• Food and Water Labs

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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

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Assessment Results

• General

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Formal Network for Co-ordination of Laboratory
Operations in country

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Network and labs involved in Animal testing
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Formal collaboration between MOH and Min of
Agriculture on Zoonotic diseases
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Assessment Results

• International Health Regulations

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Adoption of WHO policies for laboratory biosafety
nationally
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National regulations or policies for laboratory
biosafety
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Regulatory framework for enforcement
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Accessibility of biosafety guidelines
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Responsibility for laboratory biosafety and
biosecurity nationally
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Biosafetly guidelines, manuals and SOP
dissemination
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Staff training in biosafety
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National System for biosafety levels
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Biosafety Inspection Responsibility
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Implementation and Monitoring
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Biorisk Assessments
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Biocontainment Engineering Expertise
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Assessment Results

• Laboratory Safety Standards

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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

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Safety Management
Question Yes No DK/NR
Safety Officer 9 4
Safety/Biosafety Officer 7 4 2
Documented evidence of staff training 2 9 2
Medical Surveillance and Occupational Health Programme 4 6 3
Records of staff immunisation 8 4 1
Annual safety audit 2 10 1
Formal system for risk assessment 1 9 3
Safety Committee 6 6 1
Safety Manual available to staff 6 7
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PPE and other protective equipment
Question Yes No DK/NR
PPE coats and gowns - available 13
Other PPE goggles and glasses available as necessary 11 2
Gloves available 13
Respiratory protection (masks, respirators) available as necessary 11 2
Respirators used in accordance with training 4 3 3 (3 NA)
BSCs provided for BSL II (as necessary) and BSL III 10 2 1
BSCs installed and certified annually 7 5 1 NA
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Major Issues and Solutions
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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

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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

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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