Mobile biosafety level (BSL) 2 laboratories deployment: Strengthening the diagnostic facilities in Pakistan with emerging public health challenges and the way forward

Availability of mobile laboratories can facilitate rapid on-spot detection of pathogens, monitor its presence in certain populations and inform health authorities to take immediate remedial measures. Currently available biosafety and biosecurity guidelines and policies may not completely articulate the increased demand to manage mobile units in infectious disease outbreaks in remote parts of the country for rapid diagnosis, and also allows research and epidemiological study take place appropriately.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the current limitations and develop and implement biosafety and biosecurity guidelines as well as the protocols for operations, security, and response plan of mobile biosafety level 2 laboratories and their deployment.

Keeping in view the sensitivity of it, a comprehensive plan was developed to address it in view of Global Health Security framework. Biosafety and biosecurity protocols were developed including Risk Assessment Tool (RAT) fitting the needs and strengthen the diagnostic and epidemiological capacity in the field covering remote parts of country to fill the gaps observed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently the biosafety and biosecurity best practices guidelines and biosecurity policy and regulations are directed mostly towards static laboratories. A biosafety and biosecurity manual developed to adopt and meet the requirements for MBSL 2. For acute health infectious threats including the COVID-19 outbreak and other epidemics, rapid diagnosis can curb and mitigate the problem before it gets out of its boundaries creating significant health risks for the public and economy. The deployment of mobile laboratories will certainly help in curbing these catastrophes.