On 19 – 23 August 2024, Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) in collaboration with Department of Medical Sciences (DMSc) and the United States Agency for International Development Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA) organised the Workshop on Specimen Referral System and Laboratory Quality Assurance and Quality Management System, the second activity of the Tripartite Project on Laboratory Capacity Building for High-priority Pathogens under the TICA – USAID Strategic Partnership, held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Vientiane, Lao PDR. This workshop was successfully attended by 39 participants from Vientiane and 17 provinces of Lao PDR.

The aim of this activity is to promote an exchange of knowledge, experience, information on relevant requirements, and best practices on specimen referral system, laboratory quality assurance, and quality management system, between Thai experts and Laotian participants,so as to enhance the capacity of laboratory personnel and laboratory quality standards in Lao PDR to be in line with regional and international guidelines.

On 20 August 2024, representatives from TICA, DMSc, USAID/RDMA also had a fruitful discussion with executives of the National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE), Ministry of Health of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, as well as with representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to exchange views on potential cooperation activity in the next phase.