27 Sep Duke-NUS Exposes Inadequate Resourcing of Pathogen Surveillance in Asia
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. De Alwis
Dr De Alwis, Ruklanthi (Rukie)
Deputy Director, Centre for Outbreak Preparedness
Assistant Professor
Emerging Infectious Diseases Programme
Duke-NUS Medical School
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The COVID19 pandemic highlighted both the need for strengthened infectious disease surveillance and the critical importance of pathogen genomics in surveillance. However, prior to the pandemic, the technology used for pathogen genomics (i.e. next generation sequencing) was not widely used for public health and mostly available in high-resource countries. The Asia Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Asia PGI) was set up after the pandemic to enhance regional health security through the strengthening of pathogen genomic surveillance in in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across Asia.
This study, conducted through the Asia PGI, aimed to assess the baseline capacities and gaps in pathogen genomic surveillance in lower-resourced countries in the region.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: The main findings revealed that all 13 participating Asian countries had at least some pathogen sequencing capacity. However, the study also identified many gaps and challenges, including insufficient funding, a shortage of trained personnel, the prohibitively high cost of the technology and supply chain and logistical issues. These challenges contributed to long turnaround times from the receipt of patient samples to actionable results, preventing the pathogen genomics-based rapid implementation of outbreak control measures.
MedicalResearch.com: What countries or group would be responsible or able to improve surveillance in these areas?
Response: There are global, regional and national efforts underway to strengthen pathogen genomic surveillance across Asia. In 2022, the WHO released its global genomic surveillance strategy and is now working through its regional and country offices to support countries to implement national genomic surveillance strategies. Similarly, the Asia Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Asia PGI) is supporting LMICs in Asia by strengthening their pathogen genomic surveillance through activities such as capacity building and offering support around national genomic surveillance planning, pathogen prioritisation and investment case development.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a results of this study?
Response: The integration of pathogen genomics into national surveillance plans on a national scale will require further research in the areas of health economics, infectious disease modeling and implementation science. As cost has been identified as a significant barrier, more research and development of innovative low-cost next generation sequencing (NGS) and other diagnostic approaches will need to be explored.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Any disclosures?
Response: There is a diversity of pathogen genomic surveillance capacity across the Asian region, with more work needed to level the playing field across low-, middle-, and high-resource settings. As pathogens do not respect borders, strengthening early detection through genomics is critical for pandemic preparedness in Asia.
Citation: Marya Getchell, Suci Wulandari, Ruklanthi de Alwis, Shreya Agoramurthy, Yoong Khean Khoo, Tze-Minn Mak, La Moe, Anne-Claire Stona, Junxiong Pang, Muhd Haziq Fikry Haji Abdul Momin, Afreenish Amir, Lucia Rizka Andalucia, Ghows Azzam, Savuth Chin, Thanat Chookajorn, Govindakarnavar Arunkumar, Do Thai Hung, Aamer Ikram, Runa Jha, Erik A. Karlsson, Mai Quynh Le Thi, Surakameth Mahasirimongkol, Gathsaurie Neelika Malavige, Jessica E. Manning, Syarifah Liza Munira, Nguyen Vu Trung, Imran Nisar, Firdausi Qadri, Farah Naz Qamar, Matthew T. Robinson, Cynthia P. Saloma, Swe Setk, Tahmina Shirin, Le Van Tan, Timothy John R. Dizon, Ravindran Thayan, Hlaing Myat Thu, Hasitha Tissera, Phonepadith Xangsayarath, Zainun Zaini, John C. W. Lim, Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, Gavin J. D. Smith, Lin-Fa Wang, Paul Pronyk. Pathogen genomic surveillance status among lower resource settings in Asia. Nature Microbiology, 2024;
DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01809-4
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Last Updated on September 27, 2024 by Marie Benz MD FAAD