WHO urges Ukraine to destroy dangerous pathogens in labs
The World Health Organisation has urged Ukraine’s scientists to destroy any dangerous pathogens it holds in laboratories to avoid the risk of “potential spills” as a result of the invasion.
Russia’s offensive has added to the risk of dangerous diseases escaping if facilities are damaged in the bombings, it was reported yesterday.
Like many countries, Ukraine’s public health laboratories conduct research into how to mitigate the threats of deadly viruses, including Covid-19.
Tarik Jašarević, a spokesperson for the WHO, said: “As part of essential public health functions, public health laboratories handle a range of infectious agents.
“These capabilities are critical in any country to allow public health and clinical laboratories to detect and respond to infectious diseases, including Covid19, polio, measles, TB, HIV and diseases caused by other infectious pathogens.”
“WHO has strongly recommended to the ministry of health in Ukraine and other responsible bodies to destroy high-threat pathogens to prevent any potential spills,” the UN agency said.
The recommendation was made as Russia widens its attacks, targeting residential areas, hospitals and public buildings. WHO Ukraine said yesterday that it has verified 26 attacks on health facilities, including one on a maternity ward which killed three.
In response to questions about its work with Ukraine ahead of and during Russia’s invasion, the WHO said that it had collaborated with Ukrainian public health laboratories for several years to support the enhancement of biosafety and biosecurity, as well as the capacity of laboratory personnel.
“WHO routinely assists member states in improving their public health capacities, including by facilitating improved safety and security of laboratories holding samples of pathogens of public health concern,” the organisation said.
In its recommendations on laboratory safety, the WHO emphasises a riskbased evaluation, Mr Jašarević told reporters via video link from Ukraine. “Labs should always look into and assess the situation they are in, to ensure that in the case of a threat, there is a way to dispose safely of pathogens that normally are in all these countries for public health purposes, and to avoid any accidental spill,” he said.
“It is a part of us providing public health advice to every country to try to ensure there is a minimised risk of any harm to the population because of any possible accidental leak of pathogens.”
Mr Jašarević could not say whether any laboratory affected by these recommendations was in an area actively being bombarded or occupied by Russian troops.
Aware of the concern that the recommendation could create, after Ukraine’s main civil nuclear power plant was caught up in the Russian invasion, the WHO stressed the broader context of years of collaboration with the Ukrainian authorities to improve laboratory safety.
The WHO said it will assist wherever possible with technical guidance and coordination, and encourages all parties to cooperate in the safe and secure disposal of any pathogens.