EQA trials
Ensuring quality data for AMR surveillance
Laboratories that classify as National Reference Laboratory (NRL) or Laboratory of Exellence (LE) in South Asia and South-East Asia, laboratories may participate in the EAQ trials under the EQAsia project. Participation in the EQA trials is free of charge.
EQA trials are run twice a year. For the trials, EQAsia has developed a one-stop shop, where the participating laboratories select the components that they wish to test for the upcoming trial based on an available panel list. The one-stop shop are based on a One Health approach, meaning that pathogens from both the Animal Health sector and Human Health sector are available for choosing in each trial.
The laboratories test the strains and upload their results to the EQAsia IT-system, developed especially for the purpose. The system automatically generates an individual report and certificate upon completion.
Following each EQA round, all participating laboratories are invited to join a follow up webinar, where results and general observations are presented. Within this webinar, recommendations for improvements are also provided and the participants may ask questions to the experts on matters encountered during the EQA.
Between EQA trials, EQAsia offers webinars, exercises and various training courses to the participating laboratories that may strengthen EQA performance and build capacity within their laboratories.