The National Institute of Health in Islamabad, in partnership with C19RM supported by the Global Fund, organised a focused workshop on laboratory data integration with PPHL and the IDSR system using DHIS-2. The program underscores ongoing efforts to modernise reporting and surveillance across Pakistan and to ensure laboratory information flows efficiently into national decision-making platforms.
Participants from identified public health laboratories included medical doctors, microbiologists, molecular biologists and laboratory technologists who received practical instruction aimed at improving standardised reporting and alignment with national surveillance. Subject matter experts from NIH and the IDSR technical team led sessions on the IDSR laboratory network, specimen handling and transportation, biosafety and biosecurity, and laboratory quality management systems to support reliable data capture.
A central feature of the workshop was a hands-on demonstration of DHIS-2 on both the web interface and Android application. Led by NIH and PPHL technical staff, trainees practised real-time data entry, validation and reporting so that laboratory data integration becomes a practical skill for daily operations rather than a theoretical goal.
By strengthening laboratory data integration and standardising reporting, the initiative aims to enhance early detection, support evidence-led public health actions and accelerate outbreak response within Pakistan’s surveillance architecture.
