Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan and the United States have discussed expanding cooperation in food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary services, including laboratory development and specialist training, the Committee for Food Safety of Uzbekistan reported.
The committee’s Deputy Chairman Khurshid Rakhmatullayev met Michelle Lang-Ally, a senior US State Department adviser on health issues for South and Central Asia, and representatives of the US Embassy.
One of the main topics was the implementation of the STRIDES project, funded by the US State Department and titled “Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems”. The participants reviewed its results and further plans to expand laboratory capacity in Karakalpakstan and Tashkent region.
They also discussed the training and retraining of specialists in line with international requirements and ways to strengthen the diagnostic capabilities of the laboratory network.
Running from 2024 to 2029, STRIDES aims to improve the early detection of infectious diseases that threaten human and animal health, strengthen laboratory diagnostic capacity and improve epidemiological surveillance systems.
The project is being implemented by a consortium led by international organisation FHI 360.
The sides also reviewed a draft national strategy for food safety in Uzbekistan.
They agreed to have the document examined with the involvement of international experts, draw on international best practices and develop new joint projects under the strategy.
