Islamabad: The Secretariat of the OIC Standing Committee on Science and Technology (COMSTECH) has opened for business with a three-day international course on “Outbreak Investigation and Control of Infectious Diseases.”
With over 100 participants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, Yemen, Nigeria, Uganda, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Jordan, and Bangladesh, the course—which is being led by five distinguished experts in virology and infectious diseases from the Pasteur Institute of Iran and two from ICCBS—has drawn participation from both virtual and physical locations. COMSTECH, the Pasteur Institute of Iran, and the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, ICCBS, University of Karachi, are the collaborative organizers of the course.
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s ambassador in Pakistan, H.E. Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam, graced the inaugural ceremony and extended gratitude to the COMSTECH team for organizing these special and worthwhile capacity-building events. Dr. Moghaddam emphasized the long-standing partnership between COMSTECH and Iran and promised his full support for such endeavors.
The Iranian ambassador emphasized in his speech Iran’s outstanding scientific accomplishments in spite of obstacles and sanctions. According to him, Iran has become a global leader, ranking 15th globally in 2022 and publishing over 78,000 scientific articles. He emphasized Iran’s dedication to scientific advancement, highlighting noteworthy advancements in a number of sectors and an emphasis on diversity, as demonstrated by the fact that more than 50% of Iranian students are female. He pledged Iran’s unwavering support for the Inter-Islamic Cooperation in Science and Technology, or COMSTECH.
Speaking to the crowd, H.E. Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General of COMSTECH, expressed his excitement for the cooperation with the Pasteur Institute of Iran, viewing it as the start of a successful collaboration with a preeminent Muslim university. The goal of COMSTECH, as outlined by Dr. Choudhary, is to advance the Muslim Ummah in all sectors, including S&T and technology for health. Dr. Choudhary also disclosed plans to work with the Pasteur Institute in Pakistan to create vaccines. He explained his plan to train ten virologists in every Muslim nation, encouraging collaboration and scientific interchange in the field of infectious illnesses. With students from many nations, this global course is a first step in developing a cooperative strategy to combat infectious illnesses.
The three-day course, which is slated to run until December 28, 2023, is a sign of COMSTECH and the Pasteur Institute of Iran’s dedication to promoting scientific understanding and collaboration among OIC members.
