Building capacities for rapid response to public health threats: international course

Nicolae Testemitanu University of Medicine and Pharmacy in collaboration with the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) organized a training course to strengthen the capacities of health professionals for early detection and prompt response to public health emergencies in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The event took place on October 17 and 18, 2023, thanks to the financial support of the Central European Initiative (CEI) regarding cooperation activities and preceded the annual scientific conference traditionally organized within the framework of the University Days.

The course topics covered a wide range of subjects related to epidemics and public health emergencies, from scientific and technological achievements, public health policy and management, to financing and biosecurity.

At the inauguration of the event, rector Emil Ceban mentioned the importance of the given course, which represents an essential platform for collaboration and transfer of knowledge between professionals and scientific researchers from different countries.

"The scientific forum shows the joint commitment of organizers and participants to develop capacities to face these challenges, promotes the exchange of good practices and the initiation of collaborations in the field at the international level. In recent years, we have witnessed major events at the global level – the COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts – which confirm to us how vital it is to prepare and respond quickly to public health threats. Only together can we contribute to the strengthening of emergency management capacities in the field of public health, to protect the health of our communities", the rector concluded.

Health Minister Ala Nemerenco emphasized the need for capacity strengthening both at the level of health systems and at the country level, through exchange of experience and mutual aid. "Together we must contribute to the development of the public health system into one that is better and more resilient given the challenges we face. The experiences accumulated so far must be a well learned lesson from our own mistakes and conclusions. The Ministry of Health attaches great importance to the strengthening of the public health service and, due to the support of various projects it manages, initiated the overhaul of the hospital infrastructure throughout the country. In recent years, we have strengthened the laboratories of the public health service, including training professionals in the field, to have the possibility of early detection of all risks and cases of illness", emphasized the official.

The Minister has informed that the COVID-19 pandemic still poses risks and the Republic of Moldova applied to the Pandemic Fund, created with the support of the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the US Government, and other international institutions. Thus, from this fund, financial resources will be distributed to the countries, to strengthen their capacities and prompt response to public health emergencies, Moldova being the only country in Europe that will benefit from a grant of 10 million euros.

The Head of the Virology Laboratory of the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Professor Alessandro Marcello, noted that this course would enhance participants' knowledge of rapid response to potential public health issues both locally and internationally, and expand the network of scientific collaborations in several Central European countries.

Academician Stanislav Groppa, Vice-rector for research, moderator of the event, emphasized that public health was a fundamental concern for our society, and the ability to detect early and respond promptly to public health emergencies was essential to ensuring well-being and security of the population. The academician stated that the topics addressed during the course would contribute to the identification of new opportunities and development directions for research institutions in the country and abroad.

The course program included 18 communications, presented in 7 thematic sessions by experts with extensive experience in the field of infectious diseases, hygiene, microbiology, public health, and medical emergencies, who represented national and international research or academic institutions specialized in the study of outbreaks of infectious diseases. Four of these sessions had the generic title State of the Art Lectures and were held by speakers - professors invited from different countries. One of the sessions, which was dedicated to the Endocrinology specialty, on Continuous glucose monitoring changing the world, was held by Professor Andrew Behnke, Department of Endocrinology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, USA, advisor to the American Diabetes Association Committee for Clinical Programs and Centers, who holds the title of Fellow of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (FACE).

The second session, which was dedicated to Medical Genetics, on the topic Romanian Genetics between aspirations and achievements, was held by professor Eusebiu Vlad Gorduza, geneticist, coordinator of the Medical Genetics Study Department, vice-rector for university studies, clinical education and master's degree studies cycle at Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iași, Romania.

The third session, which was dedicated to Biological Weapons, An introduction to biological weapons convention, was moderated by Mehran Rouzbahani, Consultant and Project Coordinator (Article X) Biological Weapons Convention, Implementation Support Unit, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, Geneva, Switzerland.

The fourth session, which was organized in Virology, molecular biology, and genomic research specialty, with the topic The Journey of a Sample: From Detection to Genetic Characterization on Example of One Public Health Institution, was conducted by Dr. Gvantsa Chanturia, Head of the Department of Virology, Molecular Biology and Genomics Research, RG Lugar Center for Public Health Research, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Experts from Italy, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Poland, Switzerland, Ukraine, Georgia, the USA, and the Republic of Moldova shared their experience and exchanged views on response capacities, regional and international collaboration opportunities, diagnostic and treatment strategies, as well as global health perspectives.

At the same time, participants performed practical group exercises to acquire skills in coordination and communication in crisis situations. This simulation exercise was designed to replicate certain stages of an unknown origin disease response operation. The main purpose was to train and test the skills of the teams in emergency situations, especially in the case of unidentified and sudden epidemics.

The initiative to organize the course was generated by the need to intensify the surveillance of infectious diseases and national security in the field of health by promoting international cooperation in the context of the continuous flow of Ukrainian refugees to the Republic of Moldova. The current crisis in Ukraine with a deliberate destruction of healthcare infrastructure requires the development of rapid response biosecurity capabilities.

The participants' feedback highlighted the interdisciplinary approach to the subject, their interest, the usefulness, and efficiency of the course. Overall, 115 young specialists - resident doctors, teaching personnel, scientific staff, as well as students - attended the course.