ISLAMABAD: COMSTECH organized seminar on Recent Research and Development in Zoonotic diseases and DNA vaccines at COMSTECH Secretariat.
The opening session was addressed by the Director General of Science and Technology of OIC Mr. Abdunur M. Sekindi, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Indonesia in Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Rahmat Hindiarta, and Education Counselor, Embassy of Turkiye in Pakistan, Mr. Mehmet Toyran.
Mr. Sekindi DG S&T OIC said that this is most important event in the area of the development of indigenous vaccines. He appreciated COMSTECH for taking this initiative. He emphasized the importance of indigenous capacity building and self-reliance in the field of vaccine development. He said it is very important to develop life-saving vaccines. He assured full support of OIC to the activities supporting vaccine production and supplies. He emphasized the extended cooperation among the OIC states for the development of vaccines.
Mr. Hindiarta, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Indonesia in Pakistan said that the contribution of Muslim scientists to the science and technology cannot be contested. He said that Indonesia underscores the importance of science and technology. He said that in 2017 Indonesia began to establish itself as a base for vaccine manufacturing and to become a hub of halal vaccine production. He offered health sectors of Pakistan and OIC member states more collaboration and cooperation in pharma and health sectors in Indonesia.
Mr. Toyran, Education Counselor, Embassy of Turkiye said that COMSTECH is instrumental in the advancement of science and technology in OIC states. He said that COMSTECH is playing an important role in driving innovation.
Two lectures were delivered in the technical session on important zoonotic diseases that threaten human health by Assoc. Prof. Derya Karataş Yeni, Department of Microbiology, Necmettin Erbakan university, Turkiye, and on DNA vaccine: what we have achieved and existing challenges by Prof. Dr Budiman Bela, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia.
The seminar was attended by more than 90 scholars in-person and virtually.
