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RECONSTRUCTED CENTRAL VETERINARY LABORATORY OPENS IN YEREVAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
September 10, 2010 - 14:27 AMT 09:27 GMT
On September 10, the World Bank together with the Government of
Armenia opened the newly reconstructed Central Veterinary Laboratory
in the Erebuni district of Yerevan. The event was attended by Mr.
Tigran Sargsyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and Mr.
Philippe Le Houerou, World Bank Vice President for Europe and
Central Asia.
The Central Veterinary Laboratory, or as it is formally called
Republican Veterinary Anti-epizootic and Diagnostic Center SNCO,
was rehabilitated through the financing under the Avian Influenza
Preparedness Project. The total rehabilitation and renovation costs
were around US$ 1.5 mln financed by IDA loan plus around US$ 100,000
for the design financed by Multi-donor trust fund from Avian and
Human Influenza Facility. The original building of the laboratory
was fully redesigned to meet the modern standards of bio-safety and
laboratory operation. The design was done by a Lithuanian company,
which specializes in laboratory designs and operations.
The laboratory would now be able to meet the international
accreditation standards for bio-safety level 2+. This means that the
laboratory would be able to conduct necessary tests and analysis for
identification of dangerous pathogens in animals and in food. With
the further accreditation, which could be completed within 5 years if
necessary efforts are taken by the laboratory and by the government
of Armenia, the laboratory would be able to become the national
reference laboratory for Armenia. This means that its tests would
be recognized by other countries and by international organizations,
such as OIE (World Organization for Animal Health). If this is done,
this would ensure much speedier response to animal disease outbreaks
and much speedier identification of pathogens and diseases.
Current rehabilitated and renovated laboratory facilities would allow
conducting the range of tests most widely used in identification of
pathogens and diseases in animals and food contaminants. The laboratory
now encompasses about 3200 sq. meters of space when compared to the
700 sq. meters available prior to rehabilitation. Each laboratory
unit now has its purpose built facilities; whereas previously several
different tests were conducted in one room. This means that the
tests are conducted in designated laboratories with higher accuracy,
repeatability and lower rates of cross-contamination.
The upgraded air flow, filtration and ventilation systems ensures
that the laboratory air could be fully isolated from outside air,
and thus reduces the possibility of release of pathogens to outside.
In addition, to the physical rehabilitation of the laboratory, it was
supported also with technical advice and guidance from international
experts. In particular, the Project provided an international
accreditation expert who helped develop the laboratory management and
quality control guidelines. Quality control is essential for ensuring
accurate and reliable results in such laboratories. The comprehensive
design of the laboratory facilitated other donor projects to support
the laboratory with necessary equipment. In particular, the laboratory
has already been supported by several other donors (Greek government,
USAID, FAO, US DTRA) and plans are that more international support
would be provided through lab equipment and technical assistance.
The full rehabilitation of the laboratory was made possible after
the Avian Influenza (AI) preparedness project was restructured to
address a broader spectrum of diseases that are important both from
the public health and economic perspective. Originally, it was planned
that the Avian Influenza Preparedness project would help Armenia to set
up important resources to combat the potential AI epidemic. However,
as AI was not reported in Armenia, and as other diseases have become
more important (e.g. African swine fever, Brucellosis), the authorities
requested that the project help build a broader capacity in animal
and human health services to combat such disease outbreaks, and to
reduce threats.
The Avian Influenza Preparedness Project was financed by an IDA
credit of US$ 6.25 mln, Japanese PHRD grant of US$ 0.804 mln, and
by multi-donor AHI Facility Grant of US$ 2 mln. The project became
effective September 5, 2006 and on closed on July 31, 2010.
From: A. Papazian
PanARMENIAN.Net
September 10, 2010 - 14:27 AMT 09:27 GMT
On September 10, the World Bank together with the Government of
Armenia opened the newly reconstructed Central Veterinary Laboratory
in the Erebuni district of Yerevan. The event was attended by Mr.
Tigran Sargsyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and Mr.
Philippe Le Houerou, World Bank Vice President for Europe and
Central Asia.
The Central Veterinary Laboratory, or as it is formally called
Republican Veterinary Anti-epizootic and Diagnostic Center SNCO,
was rehabilitated through the financing under the Avian Influenza
Preparedness Project. The total rehabilitation and renovation costs
were around US$ 1.5 mln financed by IDA loan plus around US$ 100,000
for the design financed by Multi-donor trust fund from Avian and
Human Influenza Facility. The original building of the laboratory
was fully redesigned to meet the modern standards of bio-safety and
laboratory operation. The design was done by a Lithuanian company,
which specializes in laboratory designs and operations.
The laboratory would now be able to meet the international
accreditation standards for bio-safety level 2+. This means that the
laboratory would be able to conduct necessary tests and analysis for
identification of dangerous pathogens in animals and in food. With
the further accreditation, which could be completed within 5 years if
necessary efforts are taken by the laboratory and by the government
of Armenia, the laboratory would be able to become the national
reference laboratory for Armenia. This means that its tests would
be recognized by other countries and by international organizations,
such as OIE (World Organization for Animal Health). If this is done,
this would ensure much speedier response to animal disease outbreaks
and much speedier identification of pathogens and diseases.
Current rehabilitated and renovated laboratory facilities would allow
conducting the range of tests most widely used in identification of
pathogens and diseases in animals and food contaminants. The laboratory
now encompasses about 3200 sq. meters of space when compared to the
700 sq. meters available prior to rehabilitation. Each laboratory
unit now has its purpose built facilities; whereas previously several
different tests were conducted in one room. This means that the
tests are conducted in designated laboratories with higher accuracy,
repeatability and lower rates of cross-contamination.
The upgraded air flow, filtration and ventilation systems ensures
that the laboratory air could be fully isolated from outside air,
and thus reduces the possibility of release of pathogens to outside.
In addition, to the physical rehabilitation of the laboratory, it was
supported also with technical advice and guidance from international
experts. In particular, the Project provided an international
accreditation expert who helped develop the laboratory management and
quality control guidelines. Quality control is essential for ensuring
accurate and reliable results in such laboratories. The comprehensive
design of the laboratory facilitated other donor projects to support
the laboratory with necessary equipment. In particular, the laboratory
has already been supported by several other donors (Greek government,
USAID, FAO, US DTRA) and plans are that more international support
would be provided through lab equipment and technical assistance.
The full rehabilitation of the laboratory was made possible after
the Avian Influenza (AI) preparedness project was restructured to
address a broader spectrum of diseases that are important both from
the public health and economic perspective. Originally, it was planned
that the Avian Influenza Preparedness project would help Armenia to set
up important resources to combat the potential AI epidemic. However,
as AI was not reported in Armenia, and as other diseases have become
more important (e.g. African swine fever, Brucellosis), the authorities
requested that the project help build a broader capacity in animal
and human health services to combat such disease outbreaks, and to
reduce threats.
The Avian Influenza Preparedness Project was financed by an IDA
credit of US$ 6.25 mln, Japanese PHRD grant of US$ 0.804 mln, and
by multi-donor AHI Facility Grant of US$ 2 mln. The project became
effective September 5, 2006 and on closed on July 31, 2010.
From: A. Papazian