TEHRAN – The Pasteur Institute of Iran has organized a week-long international training course in Pakistan to enhance the pandemic preparedness capacity in addressing future health threats.

Hosted by Karachi from October 21 to November 1, the event was held in cooperation with the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and Pakistan’s International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS).

Over 30 health experts from 11 countries, namely Benin, Uganda, Somalia, Senegal, Singapore, Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia,  Afghanistan, Cameroon, and Pakistan, participated in the course titled ‘Investigating Infectious Disease Outbreaks with a Focus on Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever’, as a part of a comprehensive course on ‘Virology and Future Pandemic Preparedness’.

Arboviruses and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, Biosafety and Risk Assessment, Outbreak Planning and Early Warning Systems, Descriptive and Analytical Studies in Epidemiology, and International Health Regulations (IHR).

The program blended theoretical sessions with practical workshops and exercises, fostering active engagement and yielding highly positive feedback from participants.

The training marks the second joint program under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Pasteur Institute of Iran and COMSTECH in October 2023, indicating a sustained commitment to collaborative health security across Islamic nations.

According to the Pasteur Institute of Iran, the five-year MOU commits both parties to collaborate on developing and implementing joint training programs and strengthening health systems, particularly in Islamic countries. The inaugural joint training course, titled “Assessment and Management of Infectious Disease Outbreaks,” was held in December 2023 in Karachi and Islamabad, Pakistan, featuring specialists from the Pasteur Institute of Iran.

MT/MG