Empowering Global Health: UKHSA’s Role in Strengthening Biosafety and Biosecurity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Description of impact

Many outbreaks of infectious diseases originate in low- and middle-income
countries, where limited infrastructure can make safe sampling, diagnosis, and
storage of infectious material challenging. Without strong biosafety and biosecurity systems, there is a risk of unsafe handling, transport, and waste management of highly infectious samples, which can amplify outbreaks and hinder research.To address this, the UKHSA Novel and Dangerous Pathogens (NADP) training team developed and delivered two specific targeted training programmes under the CBRN’s Centre of Excellence. One project focused on enhanced Biosecurity in South East Asia and the second project is focused on risk mitigation in Eastern and Central Africa. These programmes focused on safe handling of high-consequence pathogens, secure storage and transport of infectious materials, and best practices
in chemical and biological waste management. As a result, healthcare and laboratory workers in participating countries strengthened
their capacity to work safely with infectious samples, improving outbreak response and reducing biosafety risks. The training also supported secure data handling and enhanced global collaboration on pathogen research.

Impact date	29 Aug 2025