National Stakeholders Endorse Laboratory Emergency Guidelines for Pakistan Two-day National Consultative Workshop on Laboratory Emergency Guidelines

The Association for Biorisk Management (ABM), in collaboration with Health Security Partners (HSP), convened a two-day National Consultative Workshop on Laboratory Emergency Guidelines (LEGs) on June 12–13, 2026, in Lahore, Punjab.

 

The workshop was attended by 23 senior policymakers and key stakeholders, including the Additional Secretary of Livestock, Punjab; Directors General of Livestock from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Sindh; Vice Chancellors; senior public health officials; and representatives from National Agriculture Research Center Pakistan. Participants reviewed the Laboratory Emergency Guidelines (LEGs) developed under a previous program, discussed implementation strategies, and explored pathways for integrating the guidelines into national laboratory management systems.

The consultation resulted in strong endorsement of the LEGs, with provincial and institutional leaders reaffirming their commitment to support their adoption and advocate for their integration into national and provincial policy frameworks. The workshop also established a roadmap outlining immediate and long-term actions, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms to strengthen preparedness and response to laboratory emergencies across their respective provinces in Pakistan.

 

The event highlighted the value of multisectoral collaboration in advancing laboratory biosafety, biosecurity, and emergency preparedness, marking an important milestone toward safer and more resilient laboratory systems in Pakistan's disaster-prone, high-risk locations.