Assessment Tool for Key Processes associated with the Design, Construction, Operation, Maintenance and Regulation of BSL-3 Facilities in the WHO African Region
The WHO Emerging and Dangerous Pathogen Laboratory Network (EDPLN) in Africa aims to provide a diagnostic service for a range of pathogenic agents including Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, Lassa fever virus, Rift Valley fever virus, Lujo virus and Dengue virus. Due to the dangerous nature of these organisms a safe laboratory environment, such as a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) BSL-3 laboratory, is required to conduct diagnostic procedures. This laboratory must be designed to ensure that the staff and surrounding area are protected from the agents handled within and must be able to be run in a sustainable fashion.
Current international regulations governing laboratory design and related information sources are listed and described in this document. The major requirements from these documents are compared and analyzed in regard to their impact on operational and maintenance issues for low-resource countries. Alternative laboratory designs and lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa are also discussed. A short guide is given on the design, construction and commissioning processes required for BSL-3 laboratories.
Lastly, a laboratory assessment tool is provided as a framework for the assessment of BSL-3 laboratories. It is hoped that this tool will assist and guide the establishment of a safe and sustainable network of BSL-3 laboratories for the EDPLN in the African region.
