The Ministry of Health, Oman hosted the WHO subregional training workshop on establishing national external quality assurance system in December 2013.  The main objective of the meeting was to guide countries in establishing and/or strengthening the national external quality assurance system in the country as it relates to the public health laboratories. Participants were from various countries from the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

High quality laboratory service is an integral part of a national disease surveillance system. Obligations outlined in the International Health Regulations, 2005 require Member States to have the capacity to detect, report and respond to requests for information on public health events of international concern. Access to high quality laboratory services is an essential component of this capacity.