National Training Workshop of Pakistan under EU CBRN CoE Project 87 (PRECA Project) was held in Islamabad on 30 and 31 January 2023

A two-day workshop on preparedness and response for mass gatherings and other health threats was conducted in Islamabad on 30 and 31 January 2023. The National Institute of Health of Pakistan (NIH) organized this events and gathered over 100 experts of Pakistan in the field of water and sanitation, food, chemical, hygiene and public health safety. As part of the training a field exercise was organized with scenario of mass gathering event. Purpose of the workshop and the field exercise is to enhance the public health preparedness of different sectors and their roles in public health emergency management.

The workshop was inaugurated by Mirza Nasir ud Din Mashhood Ahmad, Special Secretary MoNHSR&C, Dr Christian Raitz von Frentz, First Secretary of the EU Embassy in Pakistan and FPI Program Manager for Central Asia, Professor Dr. Major General Aamer Ikram, NIH Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Andrew Proudlove, PRECA Team Leader.

Chemical safety and poisons information training was attended by chemical safety experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia, who are PRECA project participants. All PRECA team was in Pakistan to mentor national training of Pakistan.

During the visit establishment of a Poisons Information Center at NIH Pakistan was discussed. This Poisons Information Center will be the first one in the Central Asian region.