Organized by COMSTECH

Title: “COVID-19 Epidemiology Evidence Based Policy and Prospects for Vaccine.”

By Prof. Dr. Saad B. Omer

Date and Time : May 6, 2020 , 5:00 am EST (2:00 pm PST)

Click here for Poster

Coronavirus disease (2019-nCoV) aka Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus i.e. severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, causing illness in humans and circulate among animals such as bats. The disease spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets, which are expelled when a person with Covid-19 coughs, sneezes, or speaks.

The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.

Robust response and scientific efforts are underway to curb this menace. On forefront is the development of vaccine. World Health Organization (WHO) has 76 vaccine candidates against Covid-19 so far among which only 5 are under clinical evaluation. These 5 may have to prove their worth through rigorous follow up and testing.

COMSTECH has arranged web based seminar to discuss Covid-19 epidemiology and its ramification for wider public health and health sciences particularly for the OIC member states. Prof. Dr. Saad B. Omer is invited for this seminar.  In this talk, Prof. Omer will delve into insights of Covid- 19 epidemiology globally. He will discuss prospects, rigors and future predicaments for the Covid- 19 vaccine production.

Speaker’s Profile:

Prof. Dr. Saad B. Omer is the founding Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, and a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the World Famous Yale University, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, USA.  He has conducted studies in the United States, Guatemala, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa and other OIC states. Dr Omer’s research portfolio includes clinical trials to estimate efficacy and safety of maternal and/or infant influenza, pertussis, polio, measles and pneumococcal vaccines and trials to evaluate drug regimens to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He has published over 280 papers in peer reviewed journals and has mentored over 100 junior faculty, clinical, and research post-doctoral fellows and PhD and other graduate students. Prof. Omer’s insight about pandemics and their impact is unique and praise worthy.

Procedure to join:

Step 1: Download software zoom for this web based seminar (https://zoom.us/)

Step 2: Send your request to join this seminar at khazima@comstech.org. Pl. note you need to send your Name, Email address, Affiliation, Profession, level of education in this email. 

Contact Information:

Address: COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad

Phone No. : 92 51 9220681-3

Fax : 92 51 9211115, 9220265, 9205264

Email: khazima@comstech.org ; comstech@comstech.org

November 6-10, 2017

Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, 33 Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Presently, we are facing obstacles in upholding biosafety in Pakistan at the institutional level because of lack of trained biosafety professionals. Based on this gap Pakistan Biological Safety Association (PBSA) Islamabad in collaboration with the Fogarty International Centre (FIC) at National Institute of Health, USA, planned to set a series of workshops for training laboratory professionals on biorisk management. This training was also part of same series and was aimed to provide information regarding work practices, policies, protocols and systems to work safely at BSL-1 to BSL-4 laboratories and research facilities. Behavioral-based approach and hands on practices were employed to deliver the training resource.

Mr. Sean G. Kaufamn, a professional trainer and coach from USA was the lead trainer. He was assisted by 16 facilitators from different local institutes. Fifty six participants benefited from the training, these included two from Malaysia and the remaining 54 from Pakistan. The participants from Malaysia were sponsored by COMSTECH.  Names of the participants from Malaysia are given below;

Dr. Kamal Haikal Bin Mat Rabi, Research Medical Officer, Institute of Medical Research, Malaysia

Dr. Aswir Abd Rashed, Research Officer, Nutrition Unit, Institute of Medical Research, Malaysia

Objectives of the workshop are given below;

Learning Objectives of the Lecture Sessions:

Four Primary Controls of Biosafety

Biological Risk Mitigation

Containment Levels; Engineering and Biosafety

Risk Group Classification

SOP Evaluation, Validation and Verification

Sterilization, Disinfection, Decontamination, and Antisepsis

Biosafety Program Effectiveness

Four Primary Controls of Biosafety

Dual Use Research-Issue of Concern

Building a “ONE SAFE” culture

Occupational Health Programs

Medical and Incident Surveillance Programs

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

CWA 15793: Biorisk Management,

Understanding Personality Differences,

Laboratory Acquired Illnesses (LAIs)

Emergency Response Tabletops

Learning Objectives of the Laboratory Sessions:

Line up Donning

Line up Doffing

The Beaking Method-Glove Removal

PAPR  Assembly

The Practices of Donning and Doffing PPE

Gross Decontamination

Hand Washing-Don and Doff Confirm

Waste Management Procedures

Working in a Biosafety Cabinet Biosafety Cabinet Types

Shipping of Infectious Substances

Needle Stick Injuries

Unconscious Individuals

Yellow Evacuation (Modified)

Responding to Spills

Program of the workshop is available  here

For lists of the Participants, Facilitators and Coaches click here

Picture Gallery

The core mandate of COMSTECH is to strengthen cooperation among OIC Member States in science and technology (S&T), and to enhance their capabilities through training in emerging areas. As part of the capacity building program, COMSTECH organized a three day International Workshop on “Options for an Energy Mix: Issues of Cost and Sustainability” from 26-28 June 2018. Former Planning Commission deputy Chief Sartaj Aziz was invited as a chief guest. He said that the country is in a power crisis because it lacks cost-efficient energy production options. He traced the origins of Pakistan’s energy crisis to a policy of encouraging independent power producers (IPPs) after 1994. He said that these IPPs operated on expensive imported furnace oil. “The cost of power generation went up to 16 cents per unit, while the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) was selling electricity at 8-9 cents. The huge subsidy that was payable to the IPPs could not be paid in time leading to a huge circular debt and long hours of load-shedding,” COMSTECH Coordinator General Dr Shaukat Hameed Khan presented a comprehensive and broad-ranging review of the global energy transition, highlighting the initiatives to decrease reliance on conventional sources of power by including various renewable sources as part of the energy mix. He also doused hopes of renewable energy advocates by identifying various real and hidden costs of different renewable technologies and observed that a complete reliance on renewable energy did not appear as a technical or economic possibility in the near future. “Fossil fuels are not going away anywhere soon and there is no single solution to combat the effects of climate change,” Dr Shaukat said. Resource persons and participants from Malaysia, Turkey, Australia, Germany, Nigeria, Uganda, Bangladesh and China contributed in the workshop and shared their practices in the field of Renewable Energy (RE) technologies.  Dr. Kamaruzzaman Sopian from Solar Energy Research Institute (UKM), Malaysia shared his research on solar cell efficiencies and the silicon solar value chain. He also emphasized on the manufacturing process of solar cells to be more environment friendly as the conventional process uses toxic materials. He also shared how Malaysia has made reforms to promote Renewable Energy and increase the share of RE in the national grid for carbon neutral power generation in future. It was evident from his presentation, how the share of RE was increasing in their energy mix. Dr. Abdülkadir BALIKÇI from Marmara Energy Institute, Tubitak, Turkey shared the list of R&D projects that have been executed under his institute. Marmara Energy Institute is engaged in R&D for developing technologies in fields of biofuels, solar heating/cooling, wind turbine manufacturing, materials for solar PV, and energy storage devices. Many pilot scale projects are operational and in next phase, they aim to deploy commercial scale plants. He shared that his institute is also engaged in developing solutions for the Renewable Energy Industry in Turkey, and closely working with manufacturers, EPC contractors and construction companies. Mr. Peter Rae, President, World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) shared the global trends in the wind power industry. He emphasised on regional collaborations and development of new technologies for cost competiveness of Renewable Energy technologies. He added, the comparison of levelized cost at present shows that, RE technologies will lead power generation for green and cheap electricity. He acknowledged the work of wind power industry in Pakistan and announced that the next annual conference of WWEA will be held in Pakistan by the end of this year.  Ms. Umarah Mubeen, Max Planck Institute, Germany shared her research work in the field of Bio Fuels. She presented the comparison of different algae based biofuels that can be used for power generation and transport fuel. Mr. Kenneth Muhwezi, Managing Director, Solar Today Uganda Ltd shared the community based success stories of small solar home systems in Uganda. He explained the business model of community based systems which is the most popular and practical solution for remote areas. Pay As You Go (PAYG) model is practically implemented across more than 20 African countries. Mr. Khondokar Habibul Kabir from Islamic University of Technology, Bangladesh talked about the solar home system industry in Bangladesh. According to the stats, Bangladesh ranked first in terms of installations of small solar home systems in OIC member countries. Bangladesh alone installed more than 5.2 million solar home systems last year 2017. Mr. Zhang Zhenhua, Chairman, CNNC, China, talked about the modular type nuclear reactors. He added, apart from power generation such small scale nuclear reactors can also be used for water desalination, industrial process steam etc.Local speakers also participated in the workshop from different organizations including Ministry of Climate Change, AEDB, SECMC, HDIP, Descon Engineering, NEECA, GCISC, Planning Commission, PAEC, PNRA, NEPRA, NUST Energy Centre, UNIDO, Nizam Energy, AKRSP, and NRSP. They shared the best practices and suggested the way forward for promotion of RE technologies.  Students from NUST Energy Centre presented their MS thesis posters to showcase the advanced research being carried out at NUST. Their posters mainly focused on energy storage, fuel cells, integrated energy modelling, green buildings, biogas etc. More than 80 local participants from Universities, R&D organizations, Industry and Energy companies attended the workshop. Summarizing the workshop explored the issues of cost and sustainability of various energy options, and experts from energy & environment industry shared their experience and knowledge with energy professionals and academics of OIC countries. The workshop focused on the analysis of different RE technologies, institutional policy and frameworks, and levelized costs of various RE technologies. The main suggestions to emerge from the workshop were: • to have a sustainable energy mix• to develop strategies for integration of RE Technologies• to develop a greener and sustainable transition to combat climate change

• 
  The 1^st Meeting of the Steering Committee for the Implementation of the STI Agenda 2026 successfully concluded at the COMSTECH Secretariat Islamabad, 18-19 March 2019.
• The meeting adopted the terms of reference for the Steering Committee.

• After a thorough deliberation on the Draft Implementation Workplan prepared by COMSTECH, the Steering Committee adopted the Workplan after the incorporation of suggestions from the various participating OIC institutions.
• The adopted Workplan addresses each of the ten major priority areas identified in the 1^st OIC Summit on Science and Technology and described as such in the Astana Declaration.
• For each priority area, the Steering Committee adopted a set of programs and implementable activities that were assigned, generally, to one Implementing Institution, and to one or more Partner Institutions who would complement the efforts of the Implementing Institutions.
• The Priority Areas in which the Steering Committee has identified the Programs are:

• In addition to identifying the activities in the above Priority Areas, the Steering Committee authorized COMSTECH to contact Member States for collective actions on the proposed multi-national Big Science Programs of the STI Agenda 2026.
• One session of the Meeting was dedicated to brainstorming on the theme, activities and side events for the 2^nd OIC STI Summit scheduled for 2020 in Uzbekistan. The ideas generated at the meeting would be shared with the organizers of the 2^nd Summit. 
• This meeting of the Steering Committee would be followed up by COMSTECH organizing a meeting of the Science and Technology officials of the OIC countries leading in S&T, to develop cooperative mechanisms and to seek Member States’ commitments towards the various initiatives approved by the Steering Committee.
• The following OIC Institutions participated in the Steering Committee meeting as the Members, and were represented by the delegates identified below:

1.   COMSTECH, Islamabad, Pakistan

–  H.E. Dr. Tariq Banuri, Coordinator General (COMSTECH)            Chair
–  Prof. Dr. S. Khurshid Hasanain Adviser (COMSTECH)
–  Prof. Dr. M. Qasim Jan,  Adviser (COMSTECH) 
–  Syed Aftab Hussain Zaidi, Director HR & Administration (COMSTECH)

2.   Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), General Secretariat, Saudi Arabia

–  H.E. Amb. Muhammad Naeem Khan, Assistant Secretary General OIC
–  Mr. Irfan Shaukat, Director General (S&T) OIC
–  Mr. Arsalan Hasan Basri, Professional Officer OIC

3.   Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC), Turkey

–  H.E. Mr. Mehmet Metin EKER, Director General (COMCEC)
–  Mr. Fatih ÜNLÜ, Senior Expert (COMCEC)

4.  Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), Saudi Arabia

–  H.E. Dr. Hayat Sulaiman H. Sindi, Senior Advisor to the President for Science, Technology,
   and Innovation 
–  Mr. Mohamed Abida,  Manager Executive Management Support &  Protocol Division, Office of
    the President

5.  Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Morocco

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Adviser to the Director General and Supervisor of the Cabinet (ISESCO)

6. Statistical, Economic, Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Turkey

Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department (SESRIC)

7.   Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS), Jordan

 Prof. Dr. N.M. Butt, Vice President, (IAS)

8.   Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), Turkey

–  H.E. Mr. Ihsan OVUT, Secretary General (SMIIC)
–  Mr. Cagri CANKURTARAN,  Expert (SMIIC)

9.   The Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), Turkey

       H.E. Mr. Taha Ayhan, President (ICYF)

As had been announced, the IsDB Transformers Roadshow for Pakistan was held on 4^th May 2019 at the COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan.

It was a full day event organized jointly by the IsDB and COMSTECH for highlighting and encouraging innovative ideas of young Pakistanis. The event was participated in by the IsDB team led by its President H.E. Dr. Bandar M. H. Hajjar and also included the Chief Scientific Advisor to the President IsDB Dr. Hayat S. Sindi. The Roadshow climaxed a month of preparatory stages where applicants from Pakistan submitted their innovative ideas for addressing various problems faced by Pakistani society in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the UN.

From the 232 received applications 20 projects were shortlisted by COMSTECH and the respective teams were invited to the Roadshow where they made their presentations to an international Jury comprising:

The main events of the day included mentoring sessions for the contestants, conducted by the members of the international Jury. The themes of these mentoring session were;

• Attracting impact investment
• Pitching to the business
• Scaling up/ Commercialization
• Marketing and Communication

After an intense competition, the Jury announced the following 4 winners:

The closing session of the event was graced by Dr. Zafar Mirza, Minister of State, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, the President IsDB, and the Coordinator General COMSTECH Dr. Tariq Banuri. The winners were awarded cash prizes of US$3000 each and support from IsDB to participate in the Annual Roadshow event to be held in Senegal later this year.  The speakers at the closing session lauded the exciting initiative of the IsDB in promoting creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship amongst the Pakistani youth. The IsDB President and the Chief Guest highly appreciated the efforts of COMSTECH in organizing this event, and in general, in developing various S&T initiatives for the OIC member states.

The function was followed by a well-attended press conference addressed by the President IsDB, the Minister of State for Health and the CG COMSTECH. The IsDB President highlighted the efforts of IsDB in promoting development projects in Pakistan. The CG of COMSTECH and President of IsDB expressed the resolve to continue to work together on various S&T initiatives for the betterment of the OIC countries.