Central Public Health Laboratory

The Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) in Egypt, located at 19 Sheikh Reehan Street, Abdeen, Cairo, operates under the Ministry of Health and Population. • It is concerned with public health and is affiliated with the preventive sector of the Ministry of Health. It has branches in all governorates (26 governorates). More than 865 employees work in the central laboratories, from the technical specializations in the administration. It tests about 4 million samples per year (2 million samples for neonatal screening, half million issuance of travel certificates and the rest between the various analysisof food, water and clinical samples.

Overview of CPHL Activities 

 • Play a fundamental role in combating infectious diseases, detecting the causes of outbreaks, and monitoring epidemic diseases, as the central laboratories are the reference laboratory for tuberculosis and meningitis for the countries of the Middle East region.

• Provide various medical analysis services and conduct microbial tests for human samples for infectious diseases, as well as conduct biochemical and hematology tests.

• Tests of foods circulating in the markets and imported from abroad to determine their suitability for human consumption, as well as conduct research on food poisoning cases and detect dioxin, pesticide residues, melamine, etc.

• Conduct periodic tests of local and imported drinking water and bottled water to ensure their suitability for human consumption and their compliance with ministerial decisions and Egyptian and international standard specifications.

• National project to detect thyroid hormone deficiency and Phenylketonuria (PKU) analysis for newborns.

• Conducting blood virus tests for those wishing to travel to Arab countries and those seeking residency.

• Detection of hepatitis B, C viruses, polio and measles, as well as providing examination and counseling services for AIDS patients.

• Participation of the pathology laboratory in examining and diagnosing blood diseases such as hemophilia, as well as its contribution to the breast cancer screening program.

• Detection of the H5N1 bird flu virus.

• Issuing licenses for private laboratories.

• Issuing certificates of freedom from infectious and epidemic diseases for food handlers.

• Continuous training, whether in central laboratories or in governorates.

• Participation in decision-making and setting standard specifications for food and water.

• Participation in the grievance committees in the General Authority for Export and Import Control.

• Participation in the Food Safety Committee, the Board of Directors of the National Authority for Drinking Water and Sanitation and the National Accreditation Council.

• Participation in wheat and meat inspection committees in the country of origin with the Ministry of Trade and the General Authority for Export and Import Control.