Biological Hazard: Need to implement bio-safety and security regulations, experts say

Workshop on bio-risk underway at University of Health Sciences

LAHORE: Increased number of incidents of mismanagement of dangerous pathogens at workplaces has necessitated a revision of the existing regulations on bio-safety and bio-security in the country along with a strict implementation of these laws, said bio-risk experts, at a workshop held at the University of Health Sciences on Thursday.

The two-day workshop, which started on Thursday, is aimed at the hospital laboratory staff and health professionals. It has been organized by the Pak One Health Alliance (POHA) in collaboration with the UHS and the Civilian Research and Development Foundation Global (CRDF-Global). The main objective of the workshop is to train master trainers in bio-risk management according to WHO guidelines and to share the findings of the recent national exercise on Global Health Security Initiative, of which Pakistan is a signatory.

The workshop comprised technical presentations, group work, plenary sessions and sharing of experiences and knowledge by the resource persons and the participants. The experts said that efforts should be made to ensure that the best practices and standard operating procedures are followed for the prevention of accidental or unintentional exposure to or release of pathogens and toxins. This was necessary to protect the workers, the public and the environment from any harm. The workshop also aims to come up with recommendations for government and host institutions to promote bio-risk management in the country.

Inaugurating the workshop, UHS’s Pro-Vice Chancellor, Junaid Sarfraz Khan, said that the scientists involved in bio-medical sciences shouldered a big responsibility and needed to abide by a voluntary code of conduct, based on recognised ethical principles and values. He said that they should comply with the requirements of international conventions and treaties relevant to their work.

Elaborating on bio-risk management, the CEO of POHA, Dr SM Mursalin, said that it consisted of bio-safety, laboratory bio-security and ethical responsibility and aimed to reduce the risk of unintentional exposure to pathogens and toxins or their accidental release. These measures should be implemented effectively in order to reduce the risk of the unauthorised access, loss, theft, misuse, diversion or intentional release of micro-organisms.

He added that it was important that a framework regarding awareness about bio-safety, laboratory bio-security and the ethical code of conduct and training pertaining to bio-security is provided. Brigadier Dr Aamer Ikram, Dr Saqib Mahmood, Professor Nadeem Afzal, Dr Amjad Khan and Dr Asad Zaheer were prominent among the speakers on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2016.