The Joint Tenth Meeting of the ICAO Regional Bureaus in the European and North Atlantic and Middle East, within the framework of the Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation and in the Aviation Medicine Workshop was held in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. Almira Berdongarova, Director of the Aviation Medicine Department - Chief Aviation Inspector, and Merey Zholzhaksynova, Senior Technical and Human factor officer, participated in this event and in the ICAO Aviation Medicine Seminar.

Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), in coordination with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, hosted the meeting that brought together representatives of the aviation industry from around the world to discuss improving preparedness planning and emergency responses to public health events.

The event was attended by international, regional, and local organizations – over 50 CAPSCA partners and members. The meeting took place at a time when the global civil aviation industry is edging closer to recovery.

Employees of the “Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan” JSC presented reports on the topic: “States Perspectives on CAPSCA” and “Lessons Learned from iPack PHC”. Kazakhstan is one of the most active participants from Central Asia in CAPSCA/PHC and aviation medical ICAO activities.

A PHC is formed when two or more States agree to mutually recognize the implemented public health mitigation measures on one or more routes between their States. To support States with the implementation of PHCs, ICAO developed the Implementation Package (iPack) Establishing a PHC. The iPack includes associated procedures and relevant tools that are regularly updated.

The need for interaction between civil aviation and the public health authorities; staff training on applying international and national regulations in public health matters in aviation; the importance of involvement and interaction of all stakeholders, both at the leadership (decision making) level and at the level of implementation of rules and their enforcement and exchange of experience between states on public health issues in civil aviation was mentioned.

The insight shared during this meeting will help to ensure the aviation ecosystem is as prepared as possible to protect public health, secure safe and economically viable air transport, with minimal impact on international travel and trade, and enhance multi-sector collaboration and cooperation.

The Meeting participants noted that emergencies and new threats in the field of public health can negatively affect the work of the aviation industry. Awareness, readiness/training and coordinated interactions of interested structures are necessary to ensure the continuous operation of civil aviation, as well as to prevent and prevent threats in the field of public health.

CAPSCA is a global initiative aimed at improving preparedness planning and response to public health events that affect the aviation sector, such as epidemic or pandemic. Its main objective is to assist States with the implementation of ICAO standards and recommended practices, and World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations to prevent the spread of diseases by air and ensure the sustainability of travel, trade, and tourism.

CAPSCA brings together public and private aviation stakeholders to ensure a coordinated approach to public health risks.