Measles and Rubella National Laboratory or sub-National Laboratory Check-
list for WHO Accreditation
Section 1: General Review & Overall Findings
Dates of 01/01/2023 – On-site / Desk Review Accreditation for
Review: 31/12/2023 calendar year: 2025
Name of Laboratory of Communicable Diseases
Laboratory: Republic of Estonia Health Board
Address: Paldiski mnt 81, 10614 Tallinn
Country ESTONIA
Phone: +372 794 Email:
[email protected] Website: www.terviseamet.ee
3599
[email protected]
Head of Institute: Brigit Lao Head of Department: Janne Pullat
Head of Measles and
Rubella Laboratory: Oksana Joamets
Technical Supervisor: Oksana Joamets
Number of laboratories under supervision: 1
Name of
Reviewer(s): Dr. Myriam Ben Mamou & Dovile Videbaek, WHO/Europe
Name of National Accreditation Authority (if appropriate) and current accreditation status from this
authority (e.g. ISO15189 or other, provide documentation):
Estonian Accreditation Centre, EVS-EN ISO 15189:2012.
Accreditation Certificate No M004. Accreditation is valid until 29.06.2024
(http://eak.ee/dokumendid/pdf/kasitlusala/M004.pdf)
1
Summary of Accreditation Review
Recommendations (check one):
Accredit: Laboratory meets all criteria
Measles: Rubella:
Serology Serology
Detection RT-PCR/RT-qPCR Detection RT-PCR/RT-qPCR
Sequencing Sequencing
Cell Culture Cell Culture
Measles testing not done Rubella testing not done
Provisionally accredit: Laboratory passed the most recent proficiency test, but needs to
strengthen one or more of the remaining criteria (check off relevant criteria):
Measles: Rubella:
Serology Serology
Detection RT-PCR/RT-qPCR Detection RT-PCR/RT-qPCR
Sequencing Sequencing
Cell Culture Cell Culture
Measles testing not done Rubella testing not done
Do not accredit: Laboratory did not pass the most recent proficiency test and/or did not meet
other performance indicators.
Measles: Rubella:
Serology Serology
Detection RT-PCR/RT-qPCR Detection RT-PCR/RT-qPCR
Sequencing Sequencing
Cell Culture Cell Culture
Measles testing not done Rubella testing not done
2
Main General Findings:
Findings:
Confirmatory test results of Sub-national Laboratories’ referred specimens are reported
1. 100%
within 14 days for ≥ 80% of specimens received:
Completeness: 100%
2. The laboratory reports monthly to WHO (≥ 80%):
Timeliness: 92%
3. IgM tests are performed on at least 50 specimens annually: Measles: 253
Rubella: 150
Measles and Rubella IgM test results conducted for primary
4a. diagnostics are reported by the laboratory within 4 days of Measles: 92.1%
receipt, for ≥ 80% of specimens Rubella: 100%
If molecular virus detection by real-time RT-PCR is performed
Measles: 100%
4b. in addition to serology, positive test results are reported by the
Rubella: NA
laboratory within 4 days of receipt, for ≥80% of specimens
The accuracy of IgM detection is ≥ 90% (NLs sending sera to
Measles: 97%
5. RRL and SNLs to NLs for confirmatory testing) -
Rubella: 100%
31 measles and 30 rubella samples
At least one run per month is performed for measles and rubella Measles: Yes
6a.
detection Realtime RT-PCR Rubella: NA
At least one run per quarter is performed for measles and rubella Measles: Yes
6b.
GT RT-PCR, sequencing Rubella: NA
Score on most recent WHO Serology proficiency test is ≥ 90%:
7. Measles: 100%
PT panel number: 02302 Date reported: 26/01/2023
Rubella: 100%
Performance on most recent WHO Molecular EQA Measles Mol detection: Passed
is passed (P) /re-test (R) (provisionally passed)/fail (F) Measles Sequencing: Passed
8. Panel number for measles: 23-1 Date reported: 28/12/2023 Rubella Mol detection: NA
Panel number for rubella: Date reported: dd/mm/yyyy Rubella Sequencing: NA
For labs that conduct virus sequencing: Virus sequencing is completed
AND reported to WHO through MeaNS or RubeNS within 2 months of MeaNS; 100% (2/2)
9.
receipt of specimens, for ≥80% of the specimens appropriate for genetic RubeNS: NA
analysis
10. Score from on-site review of laboratory operating procedures and practices is ≥ 80%:
Conclusion
• Excellent performance for serology and measles RT-PCR & sequencing
• Laboratory is commended for excellent monthly data reporting to WHO
3
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION
ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE Date: 12 May 2025
BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA
ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО Dr Karmen Joller
Minister of Social Affairs
Head office:
UN City, Marmorvej 51,
Ministry of Social Affairs
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Suur-Ameerika 1
Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 10129 Tallinn
Email:
[email protected]
Website: https://www.who.int/europe Estonia
Our reference: Your reference:
Notre référence: Votre référence:
Unser Zeichen: Ihr Zeichen:
См. наш номер: На Ваш номер:
Dear Madam,
WHO European Regional Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network
Laboratory Accreditation for 2025
As part of the annual accreditation procedure, the national measles and rubella laboratory of your
country, as a member of the WHO global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, was reviewed by
the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Based on the results of this review, I am pleased to inform you
that the laboratory is fully accredited as a WHO National Measles/Rubella Laboratory for 2025.
Enclosed is the accreditation review summary, including the scope of the accreditation and the
recommendations of the review, for your information.
Significant progress has been made in the WHO European Region in recent years towards achieving
and documenting interruption of the endemic transmission of measles and rubella viruses. However,
as evidenced by the occurrence of measles outbreaks, the achievement of these goals has been
delayed. In addition to high vaccination coverage, it is essential that all Member States maximize
efforts to implement laboratory-supported elimination-standard surveillance for the rapid detection of
outbreaks and for the documentation of disease elimination, as detailed in the recently published
guidance Eliminating measles and rubella in the WHO European Region.
It is of the utmost importance that adequate and sustainable resources continue to be allocated to
measles and rubella laboratories, enabling appropriate and prompt investigation of measles and rubella
cases. Close collaboration between laboratory and epidemiological surveillance, from specimen
collection to final case classification, including virus genetic characterization, is an essential
requirement for elimination. Additionally, the oversight role of national measles and rubella
laboratories should be strengthened, including through the establishment of national laboratory
networks and/or quality assurance programmes, to ensure the reliability of the measles and rubella
laboratory results provided throughout the country.
UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email:
[email protected]
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: https://www.who.int/europe
Denmark
I would like to thank you personally for your ongoing support of the measles and rubella elimination
programme and to congratulate the staff of the laboratory on the successful accreditation.
Yours very truly,
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge
Regional Director
Encls:
Measles and Rubella National Laboratory Check-list for WHO Accreditation
Copy for information to:
Ms Helen Sõber, Adviser, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of
Social Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, 10122 Tallinn, Estonia
Ms Agne Nettan-Sepp, Head, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of
Social Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, 10129 Tallinn, Estonia
H.E. Ms Riia Salsa-Audiffren, Ambassador Representative of the Republic of Estonia, Permanent Mission of
the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Chemin
du Petit-Saconnex 28A, CH-1209 Genève, Switzerland
H.E. Mr Andre Pung, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Estonia,
Frederiksgade 19, 4th floor, 1265 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Ms Kristina Köhler, Liaison Officer, WHO Country Office, Estonia, Paldiski Road 81, 10617 Tallinn, Estonia
–2–
Saatja: "WEI, Xue" <
[email protected]>
Saaja: "Karmen Joller - SOM" <
[email protected]>, "Agne Nettan-Sepp", "Helen Sõber"
Teema: 2025 Accreditation of WHO Reference Measles and Rubella Laboratories - Estonia
Kuupäev: 2025-05-12 07:36
Please see the attached correspondence sent from the World Health
Organization, Regional Office for Europe. One or more attachments may be
included.
Veuillez vous référer à la correspondance ci-jointe du Bureau régional de
l'Europe de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé. Une ou plusieurs annexes
peuvent être jointes.
Mit der Bitte um Kenntnisnahme der beiliegenden Korrespondenz (eine oder
mehrere Anlagen), Weltgesundheitsorganisation, Regionalbüro für Europa.
См. прикрепленные письма от Европейского регионального бюро Всемирной
организации здравоохранения (один или несколько прикрепленных файлов)