Sri Lanka is taking an important step towards strengthening its capacity to safely detect and investigate high-consequence infectious diseases with the establishment of a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory at the Medical Research Institute (MRI), Colombo, supported through financing from the Pandemic Fund via the World Bank.
At the request of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, the World Health Organization (WHO) facilitates the technical pre-requisites for this work. In line with this WHO facilitated a five-day technical mission in collaboration with experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV). The mission brought together national stakeholders and international technical expertise to assess existing capacities, identify requirements and develop a practical pathway towards sustainable BSL-3 operations.
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The two consultants Dr Basavaraj Mathapati and Dr Aashish Chaudhary from ICMR-NIV presenting their findings and recommendations as a part of the BSL-3 consultation.
From investment to operational capacity
A BSL-3 laboratory is more than a specialised physical facility. Its effective operation requires the integration of appropriate infrastructure, laboratory systems, biosafety and biosecurity measures, trained personnel, quality management, governance and sustainable operational arrangements.
The mission therefore took a comprehensive approach, examining the systems and capacities that will need to come together for the facility to operate safely, effectively and sustainably.
The opening day focused on establishing a common understanding among stakeholders, including the objectives and scope of the mission, institutional roles and pathways, stakeholder mapping and an assessment of the proposed facility at MRI.
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Exploring potential sites for a modular BSL-3 laboratory at the Medical Research Institute premises in Borella, Sri Lanka during the consultative visit.
Bringing international expertise together with national priorities
The collaboration between WHO, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, MRI, the World Bank and ICMR-NIV enabled the mission to combine international technical expertise with a detailed understanding of Sri Lanka's existing laboratory systems and national priorities.
The ICMR-NIV experts provided technical perspectives on the requirements for establishing and operating BSL-3 capacity, while national stakeholders contributed their knowledge of Sri Lanka's laboratory network, institutional arrangements and operational context.
This collaborative approach was important in moving beyond a facility-focused assessment towards consideration of the systems required to make BSL-3 capacity functional and sustainable.
Building a pathway for sustainable BSL-3 capacity
The mission identified priority areas requiring further attention and helped outline a prioritized roadmap towards establishing the required capacity.
The recommendations span infrastructure and engineering requirements, laboratory processes, biosafety and biosecurity, workforce capacity, quality systems, governance and operational sustainability.
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The final debriefing of the consultation conducted with the BSL-3 stakeholder group.
The work also reinforces the importance of ensuring that investments made through the Pandemic Fund translate into capacities that can be maintained and used over the long term.
Strengthening preparedness for future health emergencies
The establishment of BSL-3 capacity forms part of Sri Lanka's broader efforts to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and national health security.
It complements other investments supported through the Pandemic Fund, including strengthening surveillance and public health intelligence. WHO has recently supported Sri Lanka in advancing event-based surveillance and wastewater and environmental surveillance, contributing to a broader approach to detecting and responding to emerging health threats.
Together, these investments contribute to strengthening the capacities needed across the public health emergency cycle, from early detection and investigation to laboratory confirmation, risk assessment and response.
Looking ahead
The conclusion of the five-day mission marks not an endpoint, but an important step in Sri Lanka's journey towards operational BSL-3 capacity.
The next phase will focus on translating the mission's findings and recommendations into concrete actions, strengthening institutional and technical capacities and ensuring that the systems required for safe and sustainable operation are progressively put in place.
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The ICMR-NIV consultants presenting the way forward in progressing towards BSL-3 capacity in Sri Lanka, including recommendations for different stakeholders.
Through continued collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Medical Research Institute, WHO, World Bank and ICMR-NIV, Sri Lanka is advancing an important component of its national laboratory preparedness architecture.
From infrastructure to expertise, and from investment to sustainable capacity, the BSL-3 initiative represents an important step towards a stronger and more resilient health security system for Sri Lanka.