The Korea Disease Control Agency (KDCA) announced on August 31 that it will conduct a pilot evaluation of the "Laboratory Testing Capability Assessment for Public Infectious Disease Pathogen Confirmation" at 17 health and environmental research institutes across the country to enhance the reliability of public infectious disease testing.
These health and environmental research institutes serve as local testing agencies to quickly address the demand for infectious disease testing, handling over 1.4 million legally mandated tests each year. The KDCA has been supporting these institutions in establishing stable standard operating procedures specialized for infectious disease testing and has been conducting comprehensive pilot evaluations of testing capabilities since 2025.
The evaluation encompasses the entire process from specimen reception to testing and result reporting, thoroughly examining personnel, facilities, equipment, and procedures that directly impact test results. The detailed evaluation consists of 94 items, including 26 items for "laboratory operations" that check documents and records, 31 items for "technical management" assessing personnel, equipment, and facilities, 32 items for "infectious disease testing" evaluating actual testing capabilities, and 5 items for "laboratory crisis response."
This pilot evaluation will take place from late August to mid-October this year. Each health and environmental research institute will first conduct a self-assessment of its laboratory and submit the results. An evaluation team, consisting of at least two experts in infectious disease testing and institutional evaluation, will then visit the sites for verification.
The KDCA plans to use the results of this pilot evaluation, conducted again this year following last year's assessment, to confirm the appropriateness of the standard operating procedures implemented in local governments and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, the agency aims to continuously refine the evaluation criteria and methods based on international standards (WHO, ISO, etc.) to enhance field applicability, with a full evaluation planned to commence in 2027.
Im Seung-kwan, head of the KDCA, emphasized, "The starting point for infectious disease response is rapid and accurate testing, and it is crucial to have a systematic laboratory operating system that can reliably perform the entire testing process." He added, "This pilot evaluation is part of the process to create a trustworthy infectious disease testing system for the public, and the KDCA will continue to work closely with health and environmental research institutes to strengthen local testing capabilities and protect the health and daily lives of citizens."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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