What is already known about this topic?

Proficiency testing (PT) is a key component of quality assurance and is essential in ensuring accurate laboratory diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB. The National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NTRL) developed a novel PT panel to test laboratories’ proficiency for molecular TB diagnostic assays throughout the TB laboratory network. A total of 6 PT rounds for molecular diagnostics were conducted by NTRL from 2014 to 2019.

What is added by this report?

PT conducted using artificial sputum specimens increased from 120 in the first round to 1,835 in the sixth round. Overall, laboratories demonstrated good proficiency for MTB and drug-resistance detection by molecular diagnostics, which is evident from the qualification rates over the six rounds: 95%, 97%, 96%, 93%, 93%, and 97%, respectively.

What are the implications for public health practice?

The use of artificial sputum specimens for PT panel production to test TB molecular diagnostics in China is feasible. Most of the participating laboratories provided reliable molecular diagnostic results for MTB and drug-resistance detection. The TB laboratory network can be instrumental in implementing PT expansion and improving the quality of TB molecular diagnosis in China.

World Health Organization (WHO) launched END TB Strategy but performance of tuberculosis (TB) control in China hasn’t been systematically evaluated after 2010.

All five key indicators monitorred in national TB program (NTP) have kept with high level or got impressively improved from 2011 to 2020. There were some differences in the performance of indicators among different regions.

NTP indicators should be readapted to new strategies and requirements in future plan.