Better health security for Haitians is the goal of Haiti’s National Specimen Referral Network, or NSRN, which is part of the National Public Health Laboratory and the Directorate of Epidemiology, Laboratory and Research in Port-au-Prince.
U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Michele Sison participated alongside Haiti’s Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Marie Greta Roy Clement, the Director of the National Public Health Laboratory, Dr. Jacques Boncy and World Bank representative Isabelle Simeon in an event in Port-au-Prince, on March 28th to launch an expansion of the NSRN with the support of the United States.
This expansion strengthens the quality and reinforces the capacity of the NSRN to receive and test specimens for HIV, cholera, tuberculosis and other pathogens. It includes a reinforced network of drivers, additional laboratory equipment and a tracking system, which provides real-time data on specimen locations. More than 500 Ministry of Health employees are being trained on this improved system.
The United States is proud to work with partners in Haiti to improve health infrastructure and reduce the threat of dangerous diseases.