Is an in-kind Health Commitment Grant awarded by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. under the United States Department of State (DoS) / USAID Tuberculosis Implementation Framework Agreement (TIFA)[cite: 117].

The Tuberculosis Implementation Framework Agreement (TIFA) is a USAID-funded initiative managed by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc[cite: 117, 133]. TIFA directly supports partner countries to implement equitable, essential tuberculosis interventions at scale by providing targeted Health Commitment Grants to strengthen national health institutions, laboratory infrastructure, and quality assurance systems[cite: 117, 133].

The TB laboratory network is key to achieving the End TB Strategy by supporting TB detection, guiding patient management through Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST), and monitoring treatment response, surveys, and surveillance[cite: 125]. Headed by the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) and supported by its WHO Supra National Reference Laboratory (SRL) status, Uganda NTRL leads a multi-tier laboratory network across regional, district, and peripheral levels[cite: 125].

Uganda NTRL maintains state-of-the-art BSL-3 laboratory infrastructure with three international accreditations: ISO 15189 (quality testing), ISO 17043 (proficiency panel production), and IACET (capacity building)[cite: 125]. This ongoing grant provides critical support to maintain infrastructure, service specialized equipment, supply External Quality Assurance (EQA) proficiency testing materials across regional networks, and deliver multi-country capacity building[cite: 125, 126, 130].

• Strengthen the quality of laboratory service delivery through the provision of proficiency testing materials and maintenance of international accreditation for regional laboratories[cite: 125].
• Improve capacity for Uganda NTRL infrastructure and equipment maintenance to reduce downtime and ensure rapid, reliable diagnostic results[cite: 125].
• Procure essential HVAC spare parts, Biosafety PPE, specialized accessories, hardware, and maintenance contracts for state-of-the-art BSL-3 facilities[cite: 126, 127, 128].
• Support regional network capacity through hands-on practical EQA material preparation sessions for laboratory staff across 20 countries[cite: 130].
• Finalize and publish the official SRL Products and EQA Services Catalogue to support country transition planning and national funding mechanisms[cite: 131].

• Facility & Infrastructure Maintenance: Procurement of HVAC spare parts, renewal of HVAC/Biosafety Cabinet (BSC) maintenance contracts, replacement of wash-up sinks/tiles, and procurement of facility blinds and filing cabinets[cite: 126, 128].
• Equipment Servicing & Procurement: Execution of 12-month maintenance contracts for specialized diagnostic platforms (MGIT machines, electronic temperature monitoring systems, QuantStudio, TapeStation, PCR equipment) and procurement of specialized computers for EQA data analysis[cite: 127, 128].
• Biosafety & PPE Equipping: Supply of Biosafety PPE (respirators, fit testing kits, lab shoes), biometric access devices, waste bins, and spare hardware parts[cite: 127].
• PT & EQA Production & Distribution: Procurement of reagents and supplies for EQA panel production, maintenance of toll-free/landline communication channels, and covering regional shipment fees to deliver EQA materials to SRL-supported countries[cite: 129].
• Accreditation Maintenance & Regional Training: Payment of annual accreditation fees for IACET, ISO 15189, and ISO 17043[cite: 129, 130], and hosting three hands-on training workshops for lab technicians from 20 countries[cite: 130].