Integrated assessment of biosafety, biosecurity and cyber-biosecurity in clinical microbiology laboratories in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Clinical microbiology laboratories in low-resource settings face increasing biological and digital risks, yet integrated evaluations of biosafety, biosecurity and cyberbiosecurity remain scarce in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the operational profiles of laboratories in Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC) across these three domains. A cross-sectional assessment (February–June 2025) was conducted in 20 public and private laboratories using the Georgetown University Safety Laboratory Assessment Tool (S-LAT), aligned with the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual (4th ed.) and CDC/NIH BMBL (6th ed.) standards. Data were collected through structured interviews, document reviews and direct observations. Most laboratories operated in compliance with BSL-2 (95%) standards, yet none met BSL-3 requirements despite the regional tuberculosis burden. Infrastructure gaps included frequent power disruptions (95%) and limited access control (30%). Incident governance was weak: Only 45% had written SOPs, and 30% ensured post-exposure follow-up. Essential containment equipment was scarce (e.g., Class II biosafety cabinets or HEPA filtration: 30%; autoclaves: 30%). Biosafety training coverage remained low (35%). Colour-coded waste segregation was implemented in only 35% of facilities. Cyber-biosecurity emerged as the most critical vulnerability: 100% relied on paper registers, 85% had unrestricted data access, and formal data security policies were absent. Laboratories in Lubumbashi show systemic vulnerabilities affecting containment, personnel safety and data integrity. Strengthening infrastructure’s reliability, incident governance, workforce training and laboratory information security are essential for resilient diagnostic systems in low- and middle-income settings.