Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In March this year, Professor Koryo University (South Korea) Jae Wook Choi was invited to Uzbekistan, who helped local specialists in the fight against the outbreak of coronavirus.

Upon returning to his homeland, he talked about his experience working with Uzbek colleagues in an interview with the Korean South Korean publication The Korea Herald.

As it turned out, from 2016 to 2018, as a leading researcher, Jae Wook Choi helped organize a specialized training course on the environment and human health at the Tashkent Medical Academy.

When the first cases of COVID-19 were discovered in Uzbekistan, representatives of our country contacted him with a request to provide assistance.

In an interview, a professor of Koryo University said that his role was to advise the health authorities of Uzbekistan in developing disease control guidelines, epidemiological investigation protocols and other action plans and strategies. He also participated in videoconferencing with government officials, the disease control agency, and medical experts working with infected patients, and has also participated in online briefings on national television more than once.

“On average, my work hours were 10-11 hours a day, 6-7 days a week. My stay was originally planned for 2 weeks, however, it was extended for another two weeks,” said Jae Wook Choi.

A South Korean professor noted that despite Uzbekistan’s significant experience in combating endemic diseases, COVID-19 was the first real outbreak of infectious diseases in recent years. “South Korea, in turn, still has memories of such severe acute respiratory syndromes as swine flu (H1N1) and MERS,” he said.

Speaking about measures taken by our country in combating the disease, he said that strict border control was the key to Uzbekistan’s success in delaying the spread of the disease.

“The government of Uzbekistan has shown remarkable leadership in creating a response task force and quickly got down to business,” he emphasized. “First of all, the country imposed restrictions on cross-border movements, construction of isolators, provided the necessary equipment for intensive care and received funding for all of the above.”

“Helping neighbors overcome the health crisis is a responsibility, not a choice,” Jae Wook Choi added.