GLI Specimen Referral Toolkit

As countries develop, strengthen and integrate their specimen referral networks, information on specimen referrals has expanded - so much so that we have updated this site. This toolkit was made to fill the need for a comprehensive resource hub on specimen referrals for countries to utilize. The GLI Specimen Referral Toolkit contains both examples of existing tools already developed and in use/used by countries and stakeholders, as well as tools developed specifically for the toolkit which have been created to standardize or fill gaps in existing tools. The existing tools were solicited from and shared by country ministries of health and other stakeholders. Due to the number of tools contained within the toolkit, we are no longer able to provide a full index of tools. Please note, the vast majority of tools in this toolkit are currently only available in English, except where noted for certain existing tools. We will continue to provide updates and revisions to the toolkit as available. Any comments or suggested edits to the tools should be sent to the GLI Working Group Secretariat: gli_secretariat@who.int.

All of the tools have been re-categorized for ease of use. The new grouping is by type of tool.

Type of tools

If you are looking for a particular type of tool, the following groupings may be helpful. All tools in each type can be downloaded together in one zipped folder.

Global Guidance

To download all files in one zipped folder (16 MB), click here.


  • GLI Guide to TB Specimen Referral Systems and Integrated Networks
  • Guidance for Developing a Specimen Transport and Referral System for HIV VL and EID Diagnosis Testing Networks
  • M&E Framework for Specimen Referrals
  • National Integrated Specimen Referral Technical Working Group Guidance and TORs
  • UNICEF SD - Procurement Guidelines for Vaccine Carriers and Cold Boxes
  • WHO-ASLM HIV Molecular Diagnostic Toolkit to Improve Access to VL Testing and Infant Diagnosis
  • Other guidance from APHL, ASLM, GLI, Global Fund, IATA, WHO, etc.
Country Specimen Referral Guidelines and National Policies

To download file (27 MB), click here.


  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Rwanda
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
Specimen Referral Network Assessment Tools

To download all files in one zipped folder (1 MB), click here.


  • ASLM Questionnaire for Specimen Referrals (English and French versions)
  • Assessment and evaluation forms and questionnaires
Country Assessment Reports and Reviews
including reports, articles and conference posters assessing specific countries’ specimen referral networks and systems

To download all files in one zipped folder (12 MB), click here.


  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ethiopia
  • Guinea
  • Haiti
  • Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Nigeria
  • Uganda
  • Multi-country or regional
Tools for Planning, Operations, Data Collection and Monitoring

To download all files in one zipped folder (27 MB), click here.


  • Registers, logsheets, chain of custody forms, etc.
  • Schedules/route charts
  • Budgeting tools
  • Workplan template
  • LabEQIP for GIS-based mapping and network planning
  • Dashboard for specimen referrals
  • Reporting forms
  • SOPs
  • Data collection tools
Poster Presentations and Journal Articles

To download all files in one zipped folder (12 MB), click here.


  • Health Systems, Diagnostic Networks, System Design (incl. specimen referrals)
  • Specimen Quality (incl. packaging and cold chain)
  • Specimen Referrals (focus)
  • Timeliness and Tracking Systems
  • UAVs (drones)
Training Materials

To download all files in one zipped folder (2 MB), click here.


  • GLI Training Packages
  • TBCare Module

Updates and additions to the specimen referral tools in the Toolkit

If you have already downloaded all of the tools from this site, you can also choose to only see the newly updated/added tools. To download all updated/new files in one zipped folder (70 MB), click here.

This toolkit was produced at the request of the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared independently by Kameko Nichols. The Global Health Bureau, Office of Health, Infectious Disease and Nutrition (HIDN), US Agency for International Development, financially supports this toolkit through the Global Health Technical Assistance and Mission Support (GH-TAMS) under the terms of Contract # 7200AA19M00019.

DISCLAIMER

The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

Updated as of 11 May 2020