On Monday, May 6, 2024, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) met with the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) at the IPC following a request from the Ministry of Health. The JEE working group assesses the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) core capabilities in the following areas: Laboratory Technology, Biosafety and Biosecurity, Food Safety, Zoonotic Diseases and Human Resources.

The IPC team provided an overview of the institute’s role and status within the Ministry of Health, highlighting the activities of its research and service units along with their diagnostic capabilities. We engaged in discussions and addressed questions regarding the support IPC can offer in response to outbreaks and various surveillance programs, including those for avian influenza, MPOX, COVID-19, and other viruses.

Additionally, we explored the role of the BSL-3 laboratory in handling and diagnosing highly infectious pathogens that could be introduced into Cambodia, such as the Ebola virus, MERS-CoV, and Nipah virus.

This second assessment renews Cambodia’s commitment to advancing and guaranteeing health safety. The first JEE, had been carried out in 2016 and now serves as a benchmark to measure Cambodia’s progress. Several IPC scientists took part in the visit.