COVID-19 support for ISTC member countries in Central Asia and Caucasus
Project Status: 8 Project completed
Commencement Date: 17.11.2023
Duration in months: 0 months
Objective
1. Program summary- Improving the biosafety and biosecurity for law enforcement and disaster or emergency response teams by providing training on what and how biological agents are transmitted emphasizing SARS-CoV-2, appropriate mitigation measures, proper use of PPE, and risk communication to the general population and/or civil sector. Additional materials provided may include short training videos and job aids.
2. Improving medical facility biosecurity and infection prevention control by providing virtual trainings and workshops focused on risk assessments and standard operating procedure evaluation and development focusing on proper patient flow procedures, collection, handling, and storage of clinical samples, use of PPE, and disinfection protocols.
3. Improving the biosafety and biosecurity of laboratories by providing virtual trainings and workshops focused on risk assessments and standard operating procedure evaluation and development, emphasizing proper use of PPE, sample work flow, management, and storage to include required engineering controls such as a biosafety cabinet and waste management.
As well as, travel support for ISTC member countries’ experts to participate in ‘COVID-19 Biosafety and Biosecurity Lessons Learned’ conference that is planned to be organised at a later date
4. Improving regional coordination and collaboration for disease outbreaks by holding a conference organized by either the Biosurveillance Network of the Silk Road (BNSR) or the Biosafety Association of Central Asia Committee (BACAC) for ISN/CTR DoD/BTRP, and EU partners across SCA and EUR. The meeting will focus discussions on the challenges and successes related to the COVID-19 pandemic and how to prepare for future biological incidents. The goal is to increase information sharing, regional coordination, and expertise for medical, scientific, law enforcement, and decision makers that are important for a public health response (human, animal, law enforcement). In conjunction with the conference, a week-long biosafety training course will be held for laboratorians to train on biosafety techniques relevant for diagnostic and research laboratories.
Partner is open to co-funding in all activities from other sources, including expanding the geographical expansion of the project as long as the DoS funding is used for ISTC member countries solely, and additional funding is used for the expansion.
