Framework of Indicators and Targets for Laboratory Strengthening under the End TB Strategy

The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) End TB Strategy calls for the early diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) including universal drug-susceptibility testing (DST). A prerequisite for any national TB programme to reach this goal is a quality-assured laboratory network equipped with rapid diagnostics.

This Framework of indicators and targets for laboratory strengthening under the End TB Strategy serves as a guide for all countries developing plans for laboratory strengthening during 2016–2025. The indicators measure programmes’ capacity to detect TB accurately and rapidly using new diagnostics (known as WHO-recommended rapid diagnostics, or WRDs), provide universal DST, and ensure the quality of testing.