Assessment of biosafety and biosecurity compliance at the Accra Veterinary Laboratory, 2025

Introduction: Biosafety and biosecurity are essential in laboratories that handle infectious animal diseases, especially those that can spread to humans. These measures protect laboratory workers, animals, and the wider community from accidental exposure or release of dangerous pathogens. This study assessed the level of compliance with biosafety and biosecurity standards at the Accra Veterinary Laboratory (AVL), a national reference facility responsible for diagnosing and monitoring animal diseases in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study which used the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Laboratory Management Tool for Safety (LMT-S) assessment framework was done. The tool covered administration, operational practices, engineering controls, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Data were collected through staff interviews, group discussions, direct observation, and document review. All laboratory staff were included, to ensure a comprehensive assessment. The data were analyzed using the FAO scoring system, and results were summarized in percentages and charts. Results: The findings revealed that the overall biosafety and biosecurity compliance level at AVL was low, with all four areas scoring below 50%. The administrative component scored 35.6% staff health and safety programs (16.7%), and poor enforcement of standard operating procedures. Operational practices (42.1%) showed moderate performance in waste management (66.7%) and sample shipping (66.7%) but were weak in animal facility management (23.8%). Engineering controls (19.8%) scored the lowest because of poor infrastructure, inadequate ventilation, and lack of emergency preparedness. The PPE category (43.6%) performed fairly, though several staff did not consistently use or dispose of protective gear properly. Conclusion: The study concludes that AVL faces major challenges in maintaining biosafety and biosecurity standards, mainly due to limited resources, inadequate training, and ineffective administrative enforcement. Strengthening leadership commitment, improving infrastructure, conducting regular training, and establishing a national monitoring system are essential.