Global Health Experts Boost Turkmenistan’s Fight Against Tuberculosis

Turkmenistan has hosted a key mission by the World Health Organization (WHO) aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to combat tuberculosis (TB).

The mission was part of a broader initiative supported by the Global Fund’s 2025-2027 Work Plan and focused on enhancing the technical expertise of the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) under the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, The Caspian Post informs via Turkmen media.

The mission was led by Dr. Vladimir Antonenko, a German-based TB expert and Head of the Department of Global Partnership at the Institute of Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine in Gauting. Dr. Antonenko is also affiliated with the WHO Supranational Reference Laboratory for Tuberculosis.

Over the course of the three-day visit, Dr. Antonenko conducted hands-on training sessions with local laboratory specialists, focusing on advanced diagnostic methods. The training covered key areas such as:

Updated procedures for drug susceptibility testing (Pt and Cs in the MGIT system),

Accurate interpretation of laboratory results,

Strengthening quality assurance protocols.

In addition to the training, Dr. Antonenko performed a detailed evaluation of the current Drug Susceptibility Testing (DST) system at the NRL, assessing its alignment with international standards. Based on this review, he collaborated with local experts to develop individualized quality improvement plans tailored to the laboratory’s needs.

According to the WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to elevating national TB diagnostics to global benchmarks. It also reinforces Turkmenistan’s broader goal of contributing to global TB elimination targets through improved laboratory capacity and international cooperation.

Turkmenistan has consistently prioritized the fight against tuberculosis, and this mission marks another step in advancing public health through knowledge exchange and technical support.