Project News

In response to the recommendation of Oct. 2013 by the Mid-Term Evaluation Mission, the project implemented visits to relevant organizations in neighboring countries (Cambodia and Laos) in order to share information on the current situation of biosafety and biosecurity and on surveillance systems against infectious diseases. The visiting team included Dr. Mai Vice-Director of NIHE, Dr. Van Vice-Director of PIHCMC, Dr. Thuy Head of Department of Biosafety and Quality Management, NIHE, Ms. Giang Project staff, and Dr. Tatsumi, Chief Advisor.

In the Kingdom of Cambodia, we visited Ministry of Health (MoH) and National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) as governmental organizations, and WHO Cambodia Office and Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) as international organizations. Dr. Sokunna, Vice-Director, Department of Hospital Service, MoH, who is responsible for surveillance of infectious diseases, expected JICA to share information and support in development of regulation/guideline concerning biosafety and biosecurity. Dr.Sokheng, Chief of Laboratory of Blood Safety and Laboratory Control, NIPH, who is responsible for construction of laboratory network in Cambodia, expressed the view that training how to safety-transfer suspected materials from sites of outbreak to diagnostic centers due to lack of BSL-3 facilities in the country. Dr. Costa, an Officer of Emerging Disease Surveillance & Response (EDSR) in WHO Cambodia Office explained in detail the current situation of biosafety and the surveillance system of infectious diseases from the WHO point of view. Dr. Buchy, Director, Unite de Virologie, IPC, explained the role of IPC in the country. IPC has participated in planning strategies against outbreak of infectious diseases in response to requests of the Laos PDR government, has served as the central research institute for laboratory diagnosis of Influenza virus, Hand-Foot-Mouse Disease and mosquito-mediated Arbovirus such as Dengue virus, Japanese Encephalitis virus and Chikungunya virus, and has played a leading role in surveillance of infectious diseases in the country.

Next in Laos PDR, we visited Ministry of Health (MoH) and National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE) as governmental organizations, and WHO Laos Office and Institut Pasteur du Laos (IPL) as international organizations. Dr. Phetsouvanh, Vice-Director, Department of Communicable Diseases Control, MoH, who is responsible for surveillance of infectious diseases, expected JICA for technical support in development of regulation/guideline concerning biosafety and biosecurity. Next Dr. Sisouk, Director, Department of Laboratory Service, NCLE, who is responsible for construction of laboratory network in Laos PDR, explained the current situation of development of regulation/guideline, which are on the way for NCLE to revise them suitable for Laos PDR based on WHO manuals, and expected support in these points from JICA. Dr. Jenning, an Officer of EDSR in WHO Laos Office pointed out the view that they have several problems in translation of regulation/guideline from WHO Biosafety Manual to those suitable for the current situation of Laos PDR and is interested in and expected the future cooperation for construction of surveillance system between Laos and Vietnam. Finally Dr. Brey, Director of IPL explained that IPL was established November 2007 as national institute by the Prime Minister Decision, consists of 4 departments such as Arbovirus and Emerging Virus, and Medical Entomology and Vectors, and plays a leading public role in research of emerging and vector-mediated diseases and in diagnosis of infectious diseases in Laos PDR. IPL has been designed and constructed in facilities suitable to the EU standard in biosafety and biosecurity where French and Laotian researchers perform collaborative and active activity of research and surveillance.

Taken together, it is impressed that Institut Pasteur plays a pivotal role not only in research and surveillance but also in policies implementation against infectious diseases both in the Kingdom of Cambodia and Laos PDR. Our visit provided us the opportunity to get knowledge on the current stuation of biosafety and surveillance and to become aquitanced with the authorities relevant in each country, which may allow us to cooperate in this field among Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Discussion at Institut Pasteur du Cambodge

BSL3 Laboratory at Institut Pasteur du Cambodge

BSL-2 Laboratory in NCLE, Laos PDR

BSL-2 Plus Laboratory at Institut Pasteur du Laos