Twenty-nine (29) biosafety professionals from national health, veterinary and agricultural institutions, public health laboratories and academia are gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a 2 day train-the-trainer workshop to better understand the Laboratory Biorisk Management Standard ISO-35001:2019 and its applications. The workshop was declared open with official remarks by Ms. Marie-Carmelle Gelinas, Vice Consul and Trade Commissioner, Government of Canada who highlighted Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program’s long standing investment in the mitigation of biological threats globally, and recognition of the strategic position of the LAC region to be prepared to prevent, detect and respond to the growing risk for the emergence and re-emergence of pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential, as evidenced by the devastating effects of COVID-19 and Zika outbreaks in the Region. She noted that while the region’s biosecurity capacity represents an area to strengthen to meet any threat that could be exploited by states or terrorist organizations, climate change and the ecological diversity of the LAC region further increases the susceptibility to the emergence of pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential.
The workshop is part of the ongoing IFBA led project, Strengthening Biological Security in Latin America and Caribbean Region, and aims to strengthen professional capacities, foster regional networks and enhance Latin America’s preparedness to address biological risks sustainably and effectively. The Sociedade Brasileira de Biossegurança e Bioproteção (SB3) is conducting the workshop in both Spanish and Portuguese for participants from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and host country Brazil. At the end of the workshop participants will sit the IFBA Professional Certification Examination in Biorisk Management with the intent to rapidly increase the cadre of certified biosafety professionals across Latin America.