The United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced its ongoing support last Monday for the continuation of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) diagnostics in Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The initiative is part of a cooperative biological engagement program (CBEP) in West Africa. The current program is focused on the acquisition of two mobile diagnostic laboratories cable of performing molecular diagnostics on suspect EVD samples.
The CBEP will work collaboratively to secure and consolidate select agents and toxins and enhance biosafety and biosecurity standards. Additionally, the organization will seek to strengthen Africa’s ability to detect, diagnose, survey and report emerging and re-emerging diseases of international security concern.
The laboratories will be deployed in affected areas in West African countries such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, or any other country currently dealing with an EVD outbreak – all directed by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Each lab will consist of treatment centers, but lab personnel will have zero interaction with patients themselves.
DTRA will have the responsibility of providing airlifts into affected countries as well as the transport of personnel and equipment to the lab site. The DoD will also supply assays and reagents as well as coordinate the delivery of reagents to the lab systems.