Learning from Star-Rating Experience to Enhance Capacity: The 4th Phase Project Team Assisting Sierra Leone Conducts Field Study at the Sierra Leone National Tuberculosis Laboratory

On July 16, 2026, a joint research team comprising all members of the 4th Phase Project Team Assisting Sierra Leone and the head of the China–Sierra Leone Friendship Biosafety Laboratory visited the Sierra Leone National Tuberculosis Laboratory. The purpose of this visit was to conduct a thematic study and systematically learn from Sierra Leone’s advanced experience in its laboratory star-rating program.

During the study, the Chinese team held discussions with the Sierra Leonean management. Both sides engaged in in-depth exchanges on key aspects of the star-rating process, including application procedures, documentation preparation, evaluation criteria, and strategies for assessment readiness, while taking detailed notes on the operational essentials throughout the entire cycle. Subsequently, accompanied by the Sierra Leonean head of laboratory, the research team conducted an on-site tour of the BSL-3 laboratory and its functional areas, including sample reception, nucleic acid extraction, gene amplification, drug susceptibility testing, disinfection and sterilization, and medical waste treatment. The team also inspected the quality system document archives and equipment calibration and maintenance records. During the tour, the Chinese team inquired about practical details such as daily quality control records, instrument calibration and validation, and personnel gowning procedures, all of which were patiently explained and demonstrated by the Sierra Leonean technicians.

The Sierra Leonean management expressed appreciation for the professional competence of the Chinese team. They noted that the China–Sierra Leone Friendship Biosafety Laboratory plays an exemplary role in strengthening Sierra Leone's laboratory capacity. They acknowledged China’s long-term technical support and expressed their hope to use the star-rating initiative as an opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation in quality management, workforce development, and biosafety, thereby jointly advancing the overall standards of Sierra Leone’s laboratory testing system.

Joint Research Team Conducts Thematic Study on Star-Rating at Sierra Leone National TB Laboratory