The National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, in partnership with C19RM, a Global Fund funded project, held a workshop on Laboratory Data Integration with the Provincial Public Health Laboratories and the IDSR system using DHIS-2 to strengthen national disease surveillance and laboratory reporting frameworks.
Participants included medical doctors, microbiologists, molecular biologists and laboratory technologists from identified public health laboratories who were trained to align laboratory reporting with national surveillance systems. The workshop focused on practical skills for Laboratory Data Integration, standardized reporting and real-time data sharing to improve detection and response timelines.
Subject matter experts from NIH and the IDSR programme delivered sessions on the structure of the IDSR laboratory network, good laboratory management practices, specimen handling and transportation, biosafety and biosecurity, and laboratory quality management systems. Emphasis was placed on harmonising clinical and public health laboratory procedures to ensure consistent, reliable data across the national network.
Technical teams from NIH and the Provincial Public Health Laboratory conducted a hands-on demonstration of DHIS-2, covering both the web platform and the Android application. Participants practised real-time data entry, validation and reporting, converting theoretical concepts into field-ready skills that can be applied immediately in provincial and district settings.
This capacity building initiative represents a significant step toward integrating clinical and public health laboratory reporting in Pakistan. Strengthening Laboratory Data Integration will enable faster, data-driven decision making, enhanced early detection and more timely responses to emerging public health threats and outbreaks across the country.
