Planning for mass gatherings, i.e. for events involving a large number of people, is a complex and important process, as we have all witnessed during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Union (EU) funded Project 87 “Preparedness and Response for Mass Gatherings and other Health Threats in Central Asia – PRECA”, that is being implemented by the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) within the framework of the EU’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative (EU CBRN CoE), focuses on ensuring preparedness and response to public health threats at mass gatherings.
One of the objectives of the project is to build capacity in water safety. In line with this goal, a national training workshop on “Water safety during mass gatherings” was held on 17-18 April 2023 at the Post-Graduate Training Center for Medical Personnel of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The aim of the initiative was to train laboratory specialists and experts of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service who are responsible for ensuring the safety of drinking water throughout the country. During the training workshop, national experts Damir Zareddinov, Marina Li, Feruza Salomova not only focused on the country issues related to water safety, but also shared the best practices of the European Union in ensuring water quality standards during mass gatherings with laboratory specialists and experts from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service from Andijan, Bukhara, Ferghana, Jizzakh, Khorezm, Navoiy, Namangan, Samarqand, Qashqadarya, Sirdarya, Surkhandarya, Tashkent regions and the Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic of Uzbekistan.
This workshop was organized by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan as a follow-up to the series of regional train-the-trainer courses held in Tashkent in April 2022 for key experts from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The project also supported the development of the “Guidelines on water safety during mass gatherings in the Republic of Uzbekistan”, issued by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan in January 2023.
About the project “Preparedness and Response for Mass Gatherings and Other Health Threats in Central Asia (PRECA)”
PRECA is a regional project aimed to strengthening response and preparedness to potential mass gathering health threats in partner countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The project is funded by the European Union through its CBRN Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence, and implemented by the International Science and Technology Center in close cooperation with Partner Countries’ national experts, CoE National Focal Points in Central Asia, UNICRI, the CoE Regional Secretariat and the EU Delegations in the participating countries.
Background information:
The EU CBRN CoE Initiative is a global Initiative funded and implemented by the European Union as part of its goal to promote peace, stability and conflict prevention.
The aim of the Initiative is to mitigate risks and strengthen an all-hazards security governance in Partner Countries of the EU following a voluntary and demand-driven approach. The EU support is provided to implement a wide range of CBRN risk mitigation activities including needs and risk assessments, national and regional action plans, capacity building activities, legal framework reviews, table top and real time (including cross-border) field exercises, inter-regional exchange of best practices and lessons learnt.
Funded and implemented through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe, the Initiative is led by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS). The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides technical support to Partner Countries, while the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) ensures a coherent and effective national, regional and international cooperation. Other relevant International and/or Regional Organisations and experts also contribute to the Initiative, which represents the EU’s largest civilian external security programme.
