Expansion of national laboratory capacity in the Federal Republic of
Somalia throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract
Abstract Introduction Somalia faced significant COVID-19 exposure due to
limited lab capacity for pathogen detection. The country’s healthcare
system is strained by poverty, conflict, malnutrition, and outbreaks.
Urgent action was required to enhance COVID-19 detection, save lives,
and support nationwide vaccination and healthcare efforts. Methods With
WHO and other partners, the Ministry of Health formed the COVID-19
incident management committee to address infections. Testing was
initiated at the National Public Health Laboratory, and through training
and investment, expanded to 11 additional sites. Genomic surveillance
was established to monitor circulating genotypes. A comprehensive data
management system was implemented to track infections from patient to
reporting, ensuring effective monitoring and response. Results The
enhanced laboratory capacity identified 26,439 confirmed SARS-CoV-2
cases, resulting in 1,361 deaths and a case fatality rate (CFR) of
5.15%. A total of 344,002 suspected samples were tested within the
country. Genomic surveillance was initiated in March, 2022, and the
first results were reported in Agoust, 2022. The e-SPAR tool assessment
demonstrated a significant improvement in laboratory capacity, rising
from 27% in 2018 to 56% in 2021, marking an overall improvement of
210%. Discussion Somalia has made notable strides in enhancing and
expanding in-country molecular diagnostic capacity, enabling swift
COVID-19 diagnosis. This capacity is being expanded to encompass other
pathogens as part of an integrated disease surveillance program. The
objective is to enhance response capabilities to emerging pathogen
outbreaks. The implementation of a data management system has improved
data monitoring and evaluation, serving as a crucial foundation for Labs