Geneva Health Forum 2024

Protection of Public Health and Environment through Capacity Building in Biosafety and Biorisk Management in LMICs

Not scheduled

15m

Geneva

Oral presentation Health and the environment, time for solutions

Description

Introduction:

Many developing countries involved in outbreak of infectious diseases, poor containment condition in research and diagnostic laboratories and luck knowledge of safe handling of infectious materials has become a major source of dissemination of such material into the environment and consequently endangering life of the people and animals.
In particular, health care laboratories are areas of aggregation and stockpiling of infectious agents and biological toxins, posing a risk to their personnel, community and the environment.
While the danger of exposure usually arises during the course of routine work in the laboratory, accidental release of microbiological agents from laboratories to the environment also constitutes a major public health threat.
Therefore, Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity (LBB) are becoming a predominant issues in Public Health Laboratories working with such agents particularly in (LMICs).

Objectives:
The main objective of this project was to establish the capacity in LMICs through awareness raising in public health and environmental authorities of such threats as well as training of laboratory managers and experts on how to safely and securely handle the microbial agents and toxins to protect the environment.

Methodology:

During last 10 years, To strengthen or build national capacity in LMICs, we have organized more than 28 training workshops for laboratory managers and experts in Biosafety, Biosecurity and biorisk management. All of these courses were organized in collaboration with local health authorities and institutions. Some of them were also through contract with the World Health Organization.
We have also organized Train the Trainers workshops to train high level experts to build the training capacity so as they can train other experts in their country or region.

The overall topics covered in these workshops include:

Biosafety:

1. Introduction. Principles of Biosafety and Biosecurity
2. Classification of Pathogens by Risk Groups
3. Containment Levels: Facility Design and Work Practices
4. Biological Safety Cabinets
5. Spills and Accidents
6. Sterilization, Decontamination and Disinfection
7. Biohazards Associated with Animal Handling
8. Safe Handling of Laboratory Equipment
9. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
10. Waste Disposal
11. Transport/Transfer of pathogens

Biosecurity:

1. Introduction
2. Principles of Laboratory Biosecurity
3. Components of a biosecurity program
4. Risk assessment
5. Physical security
6. Personnel management
7. Accountability of valuable biological materials
8. Transfer of materials
9. Information security
10. Management of biosecurity activities

Biological Risk Management:

1. Definition of Biorisk and Biohazard
2. Risk Management Milestones:
   a. Risk Assessment
   b. Risk Mitigation
   c. Risk Performance
   d. Risk Communication

Train the Trainers
• Definition of Trainer, Teacher, Facilitator
• Multi sensory learning
• Brain based training
• Table top exercise
• Role playing

Results and outcome:
Through a post training assessment study, we found out that participants of the training courses were able to change their working habit and implement Biosafety and Biosecurity in their daily practice. Although in parallel to such training of personnel, there should also be a plan to upgrade the laboratories working with pathogenic in terms of their facility and equipment to meet the necessary local and international standards.