ISLAMABAD:Three-day ANSO-PAS-MAAP conference on “Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness” kicked off on Monday with the experts deliberating over strategies to combat the pandemic.
The conference is being jointly organized by the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS), the Alliance of International Science Organization (ANSO), and the Monbukagakusho-MEXT Alumni Association of Pakistan (MAAP) at the PAS.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman Higher Education Commission.
In his address, he appreciated the efforts of PAS, ANSO, and MAAP for jointly organizing this useful event for the health and safety of mankind from epidemics and pandemics.
He motivated the young scientists and postgraduate students for their role in diagnosis, control, therapeutic and vaccine strategies for different viruses.
He mentioned that HEC has been preempting the concept of smart universities to have higher education online.
Executive Director, ANSO, Prof. Dr. CAO Jinghua also addressed the gathering online on behalf of Prof. Dr. Chun Li Bai, President of ANSO.
He appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences and COVID-related management in the Country for spreading awareness about the adverse impacts of epidemics and pandemics.
Earlier, Secretary General, PAS, Prof. Dr.Tasawar Hayat shed light on the role of the Academy in facilitating Pakistani academicians, scientists, and researchers for innovative Research and Development in various scientific disciplines for implications in the domain of health, energy, technology, etc. President MAAP, Prof. Dr. Zabta Khan Shinwari, Prof Emeritus, QAU, Islamabad, presented the keynote address.
He highlighted the improvement in pandemic control-related strategies, risk management, and policies against future possible outbreaks. He had a draft strategy to combat future pandemics.
In his inaugural address, Prof. Dr. Khalid M. Khan congratulated the collaborating institutions and organizing team for their efforts in organizing the event.
He talked about the spread and impacts of some devastating pandemics in past (hong kong flu), swine flu, and COVID-19 outbreaks, etc.) on mankind.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali (QAU), organizer of the event and Principal Investigator of the ANSO Project on Molecular detection and Characterization of Bat-borne Viruses from Pakistan talked about zoonotic viruses that are responsible for pandemics and endemics, which affect almost every field of life throughout the world.
He specifically targeted viruses associated with Bats and that Bats are the main reservoir of viruses.
He presented his valuable project and the inevitable struggle for identification and studying these bats and their microbiome all over Pakistan.
During this three-day event, 33 experts from Pakistan and foreign countries including China, Italy, New Zealand, and the USA will focus on surveillance and preparedness against global Pandemics and epidemics while 50 posters will be presented on various themes of pandemics and epidemics.
Over 400 academicians, scientists, researchers, and postgraduate students from around the world are participating in the deliberations of the conference through physical and/or virtual (online) presence.
The recommendations of the conference will be shared with national and international bodies and research institutions dealing with the development of vaccines for the control of potential epidemic and pandemic-related issues worldwide.