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ISLAMABAD, Jan 18 (APP):The Health Services Academy (HSA), in partnership with Pak One Health Alliance, has trained and certified 67 ‘One Health’ professionals in the federal capital to strengthen pandemic preparedness.
The second cohort of the government-backed programme concluded with 32 specialists—including medical officers, hospital representatives, and frontline responders—equipped with advanced skills in infection control, disease surveillance, and emergency response. Conducted as a specialized two-day training workshop, this initiative marks Islamabad’s move toward becoming Pakistan’s first Model District for Pandemic Preparedness.
The Health Services Academy (HSA) has achieved a significant milestone in safeguarding the federal capital against potential epidemics and health emergencies.
The initiative is a critical component of the federal government’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), specifically designed to enhance pandemic readiness and strengthen the response infrastructure.
In this second cohort, 32 specialists were trained, including Medical Officers from the District Health Office (DHO) Islamabad, representatives from various public and private hospitals, Sanitary Inspectors, Allied Health Professionals, and key frontline responders. This follows the successful completion of the first phase, which trained 35 professionals.
The program is uniquely structured to bridge the gap between human health, animal disease control, and environmental monitoring, creating a unified platform to detect viruses and pathogens before they escalate into widespread outbreaks.
During the workshop, experts provided hands-on training in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), encompassing advanced protocols to halt disease transmission. The curriculum also covered scientific methods to track and predict infectious diseases, strategies for the swift mobilization of teams during emergencies, and the implementation of real-time data sharing between human and animal health sectors to prevent national crises.
The concluding session reaffirmed a collective commitment to establish Islamabad as Pakistan’s first ‘Model District for Pandemic Preparedness.’ This strategic move aims to institutionalize the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic into a sustainable and integrated health security system.
The workshop was attended by senior officials from the Health Services Academy, experts from Pak One Health Alliance, and representatives from the Ministry of National Health Services. The participating officers pledged to implement their newly acquired skills at the grassroots level to ensure the safety and well-being of the citizens.