EPHI has secured a Biosafety Level Three Laboratory (BSL3)
The Ethiopian Public Health Institute has received a biosafety level three mobile laboratory, which has been delivered by Federal Ministry of Health and United Nations Country Team( UNCT), on November 10, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This Biosafety level three Mobile Laboratory, is a timely boost to the Institute’s national capacity to investigate the cause of emerging and reemerging highly infectious pathogens.
The Ethiopian Public Health Institute is working on the strengthening of laboratory infrastructure at national and regional level. During the launching ceremony at the compound of The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the acting UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Faustin Yao, Country Representative for UNFPA, said that the delivery of this laboratory also represents the importance of joint efforts and coordination of the United Nations Country Team to deliver in a united response for stronger impact.
Dr. Amha Kebede Director General of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute during the handover ceremony said that, Ethiopia is at high risk of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases outbreak based on international health regulation due to porous borders and migration of refuges to the country and International connection of many passengers from mare than hundred different destinations of Ethiopian Air Lines throughout the globe.
This Biosafety level three mobile laboratory will increase the ongoing efforts of the Institute to control highly dangerous communicable diseases in the context of a complex global health security arena, he added. Lastly he acknowledged the synergetic efforts of several UN Agencies UNDP, UNECA, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNOPS, WEP and WHO in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health made the acquisition of this mobile laboratory possible.
The Biosafety Level Three laboratory, valued at one million US dollars, equips the Institute with the critical resource needed to work with and respond to highly infectious diseases causing micro-organisms.
