"This assistance included the acquisition of support materials for Angolan laboratory technicians, the acquisition of equipment for detecting diseases and the implementation of quality assurance programs," said the minister counselor at the Embassy of the United States of America (USA) in Angola , Mea Arnold.
The official, who was speaking, in Luanda, at the closing ceremony of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) project to support Angola's response to the pandemic, said that all support reinforced the reliability of Test results.
The support improved control of the pandemic and the response capacity of the national laboratory and other emerging diseases, she highlighted.
Mea Arnold highlighted the successes of the CDC's actions in Angola during the pandemic, namely the distribution of more than 20,000 tests and sample collection means, specialized training of more than 420 technicians in biosafety procedures and Covid-19 testing.
The implementation of an information system in two laboratories, which helped organize the management and speed of delivery of test results, the carrying out of more than 375 laboratory decontaminations and the donation of scientific equipment to support future tests are included in the actions.
Ten laboratories and seventeen Angolan molecular testing sections were also included in external quality assurance programs, within the scope of this CDC project implemented over the last three years in Angola.
"These successes could not have been achieved without the collaboration of all our partners, such as the National Institute for Health Research, Benguela Regional Laboratory, civil and military laboratories and others who have worked to improve diagnosis and response to Covid-19. 19", he noted.
The minister counselor at the US embassy in Angola also guaranteed that her country will continue to collaborate with Angolan government institutions, international actors and partners to improve the health of all Angolans.
"Although this project ended successfully, the US Government remains committed to supporting the Ministry of Health in identifying and responding to public health emergencies," she concluded.
The experiences, challenges and lessons learned within the scope of this project were shared at the meeting by Angolan technicians, members of the CDC and its implementing partner the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).
