Laos Training Event for Awareness of Melioidosis (L-TEAM)
The DTRA BTRP-sponsored Threat Reduction Network (TRN) for melioidosis research convenes meetings, workshops, and other training events with the aim of improving clinical and laboratory melioidosis awareness and diagnostic and treatment aptitude. Since the inception of the melioidosis TRN, BTRP has supported (1) a threat characterization discussion in Bangkok, Thailand in February 2016; (2) a strategy mapping session in Cebu, Philippines in August 2016; and the Cambodia Training Event for Awareness of Melioidosis (C-TEAM) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in October 2017. The Laos Training Event for Awareness of Melioidosis (L-TEAM) is the first step in bringing similar meetings and training events in Laos.
The DTRA BTRP in partnership with the Laos Ministry of Health, Department of Communicable Disease Control, and Department of Curative and Rehabilitation convene a series of workshops to support the L-TEAM to raise awareness of melioidosis and increase diagnostic capacity. This brings together clinicians and laboratory technicians from Laos to address gaps in knowledge of the prevalence risk factors, and symptoms of melioidosis, as well as offer training in diagnostic microbiology.
In January 2019 BTRP hosted a planning meeting L-TEAM with representatives from the Laos Ministry of Health, Military Preventative Medicine Institute, Khammouane Provincial Hospital, Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, French Institute of Research for Sustainable Development, and International Water Management Institute. Meeting participants agreed unanimously that building awareness for melioidosis should be a national priority.
BTRP hosted the Laos Training Event for Awareness of Melioidosis (L-TEAM), and
www.melioidosis.info hosted all open-access training materials (both in English and Lao) for people who are interested.
Training/Workshop events:
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The 1st event was held in Vang Viang between 13 and 16 October 2019.
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Additionally, two L-TEAM laboratory training events were conducted at the National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE) in Vientiane in October 2019.
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The 2nd event was held in Pakse between 12 and14 November 2019.
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The 3rd event was held in Luang Phabang between 7 and 9 January 2020.
Material and resource links
L-TEAM laboratory job aids and resources. (figshare)
L-TEAM clinical job aids and resources (figshare)
L-TEAM_Luang Phabang 2020 (will be update soon)
