When the COVID-19 epidemic first started in Uzbekistan, sourcing and installing new equipment for testing in laboratories proved difficult, but four partners — WHO/Europe, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the French Embassy — helped the country identify and repurpose existing assets to ramp up testing capacity.
WHO/Europe and the UNFPA established that there were already 60 polymerase chain reaction systems for rapid detection of different viruses in hospitals and laboratories across Uzbekistan which could potentially be used to test for COVID-19.
They were intended for use in a pilot study to begin screening for cervical cancer in the country by a group of agencies and specialists, brought together by WHO/Europe.
All that was required to test for COVID-19 was for a cartridge to be inserted into already-available machines already used to test for HIV and tuberculosis.
Solutions were found due to this interagency, inter-disciplinary network of experts who knew and trusted each other, providing information and expertise that helped authorities in Uzbekistan better understand their options and avoid potentially mistakes.