BioLabsCanada donates Biosafety Level 3 modular laboratory to Caribbean health authorities
The Biological Security program of Canada’s Global Partnership Program(GPP) has officially transferred a new biological containment laboratory to the Caribbean Public Health Agency(CARPHA). The Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) modular laboratory facility, a first in the Caribbean and located in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, improves diagnostic capabilities for human and veterinary pathogens with high epidemic potential.
The Biological Security program of Canada’s Global Partnership Program (GPP) has officially transferred a new biological containment laboratory to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). The Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) modular laboratory facility, a first in the Caribbean and located in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, improves diagnostic capabilities for human and veterinary pathogens with high epidemic potential.
“In our modern age, where global travel is routine and disease knows no boundaries, a well-equipped, safe and secure biological laboratory is an essential tool in the fight against infectious disease,” said Gerard Latulippe, high commissioner for Canada to Trinidad & Tobago, at the recent laboratory handover event.
Global Biodefense reports that the facility was built by U.S.-based Germfree and presented to CARPHA in cooperation with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization (WHO), and GPP, which “works to prevent terrorists and states of concern from acquiring or developing biological weapons and related materials, equipment, and technology.”
“When Germfree was approached by Canada’s Global Partnership Program, we were excited to collaborate on this important international project. We worked closely with Canada’s experts in biocontainment engineering and biosecurity,” said Jeff Serle, general manager of Germfree. “GPP challenged us to be creative and innovative in our approach. Energy savings, maintainability and sustainability were key goals for the CARPHA lab.”
“Currently there are several public health events of international concern,” said Dr. Yitades Gebre, advisor on Family Health and Disease Management, PAHO/WHO. With the recent outbreaks of Chikungunya virus in the Caribbean, Ebola in West Africa, and MERS Coronavirus in the Middle East, isolated disease threats can become regional or worldwide concerns, presenting serious risks to the global population. The biocontainment lab is able to identify samples suspected for a wide range of diseases including Yellow fever, West Nile virus, Rabies, Hantavirus, Anthrax, and drug resistant MTB.
According to Dr. C. James Hospedales, executive director of CARPHA, “This is a strategic public health resource for the Americas and the world.”
