The Ministry of Health (MOH) represented by the Directorate General of Diseases Surveillance & Control- Public Health Laboratories Department in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) organized yesterday Monday the Second Inter-Country Meeting of the Directors of Public Health Laboratories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). The meeting was held under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Mohammed Saif Al Hosani, MOH Undersecretary of Health Affairs at the Hurmoz Hotel.

The four-day meeting will review progress and challenges related to the implementation of the Regional Strategic Framework for Strengthening Health Laboratory Services (2016-2020) which has been endorsed recently by the 63^rd session of the Regional Committee. Dr. Rana Hajee, Director of WHO/ EMR Communicable Diseases Department emphasized in her address that the strategic framework would guide Members States in developing and improving sustainable national health laboratory systems and provide partners with a guiding framework with which to align their financial and technical support for health laboratory services.  

The meeting will further review the status of the antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) surveillance in the region in view of early implementation of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS). Additionally, it will discuss and reach agreement on the way forward for the development of the EMR Emerging Dangerous Pathogen Laboratory Network (EMR-EDPLN). The meeting will identify mechanisms and tools for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the EMR Strategic Framework for Strengthening Health Laboratory Services (2016-2020).