About the Project: REACH Bangladesh
REACH Bangladesh — Integrated Molecular Diagnostics, Laboratory Systems Strengthening, Emergency Preparedness, and Integrated Laboratory Response Systems — is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), and implemented by PATH. The award is a fixed amount award issued under the America First Global Health Strategy to ensure continuity of lifesaving health assistance and to support integrated, country-led health systems programming, with an anticipated implementation period of approximately 10–12 months.
Bangladesh continues to face a significant burden of tuberculosis and other priority infectious diseases, compounded by fragmented laboratory networks, limited decentralized diagnostic access, and gaps in emergency and outbreak-response readiness at sub-national levels. PATH will implement the Bangladesh component in close collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh — the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP), the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and divisional and district health authorities — with BRAC and icddr,b as potential implementing and research partners. Coverage spans 30 districts across seven geographic clusters, alongside national and divisional coordination.
The project is organized around three strategic priority areas: (1) integrated molecular diagnostics and laboratory network strengthening; (2) laboratory quality, biosafety and workforce excellence; and (3) emergency preparedness and laboratory resilience — each delivered at national, regional, and district levels and supported by strengthened data systems, MIS, coordination, and learning.