Newly trained Biosafety & Biosecurity trainers will deliver Biosafety & Biosecurity training in Uzbekistan  over the coming six months.

The Second “Biosafety & Biosecurity: Train the Trainer Course” was successfully delivered by PHE and RIVM under project 53. Twelve trainees were selected to participate from a range of Institutes within Uzbekistan. This training course followed on from the previous week of training of Kazakh trainees, the training was again hosted at the Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University (KazNMU).

Dr Suzanna Lewis from Public Health England lead the training, supported by PHE Biosafety expert Thomas Pottage. Together with Dr Ingmar Janse; a Biosecurity expert from the RIVM in the Netherlands, the team of three supported by two local trainers delivered an interactive hands-on practical three day Biosafety and Biosecurity course, followed by two days of intensive Train the trainer training.

The twelve participants had various experiences in biosafety and training and were selected from a range of Institutions in Uzbekistan working with potentially biohazardous material. including human health, animal health and border control.

The objective of the hands-on training programme was to provide the participants with the capacity to deliver a three day biosafety and biosecurity training and included course material and practical toolkits. Together with training delivery techniques gained via a subsequent two day TtT component, new trainers can deliver the biosafety & biosecurity training at their respective institutions, and beyond. Each participant has a six month period to deliver the course to trainees at their institutions as part of their final certification.

The PHE trainers commented that “There was a noticeable increase in the approach to safe lab working by the end of the week, this was backed up with perceptive questions from the trainees about the procedures being taught.”. Dr Lewis added ”Everyone engaged well and delivered great micro teach sessions”.