ISLAMABAD – The OIC’s Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in partnership with Mali’s African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics (ACE-B) and MD-BIONET, has concluded a landmark international workshop on genomic analysis of infectious and genetic diseases in Bamako.
Held in a hybrid format, the “Bioinformatics Training on Genome Data Analysis of Genetic and Infectious Diseases” attracted 150 public health experts, researchers, and clinicians from OIC nations. The initiative addressed critical gaps in genomic data interpretation—a field hindered by limited training access in many member states.
COMSTECH Coordinator General Prof. M. Iqbal Choudhary (virtually present) lauded Malian authorities and Pakistani trainers Dr. Waseem Haider (COMSATS) and Dr. Zaira Rehman (Indus Hospital) for their roles in this capacity-building effort. “This aligns with our mission to democratize advanced scientific expertise across the Islamic world,” he emphasized.
USTTB Rector Prof. Mahamadou Diakité, presiding over the ceremony, highlighted COMSTECH’s pivotal role in strengthening West Africa’s research infrastructure. The workshop sets a precedent for collaborative, genomics-driven healthcare solutions in resource-limited OIC regions.