In this ECHO session,São Tomé and Príncipe, and Burkina Faso shares their experiences, challenges, lessons learnt and priority areas in improving detection, surveillance and response for selected priority diseases. The countries recount how they were supported by Resolve to safe life through ASLM, and navigating various challenges to achieve the desired outcomes. Their journey started with the development of relevant policies that included National Essential Diagnostic List(NEDL) and National Sample Transportation strategies. Having a clear policies and strategies is essential to guide the evaluation of testing capacity gaps of priority diseases across the different tiers in country. In collaborations with different one health stakeholders and implementing partners, they undertook three steps to achieve the desired testing capacity in selected priority pathogens; 1) landscape analysis using SPI tool, LabNet and GIS Laboratory mapping information to understand the diagnostic network gaps 2) improve the laboratory testing capacity modalities by evaluating capacity gaps against the NEDL and prioritize testing sites and resources, 3) improve the specimen transportation and referral systems to optimize the sample transportation routes. Despite the successes, the countries faced a number of challenges that includes lack of quality control of rapid diagnostic tests focused on peripheral health facilities and reduction in funding in the health sector in general and specifically for the laboratory due to the international context. As such they have learnt that allocating government funding to support the activities of the laboratory network is a more sustainable means to achieve robust laboratory network and systems. Priority diseases are multi-sectoral hence need to involve all the one health stakeholders especially at community level laboratories. It is always important to continuously evaluate the country’s preparedness and readiness to respond to outbreaks and simulation exercise to assess detection capability are equally critical.