Dr Rebecca Hoile from Flinders’ Torrens Resilience Institute led an international colloquium at Flinders on the ‘Scientific, Health and Security Considerations of a Possible Deliberate Disease Outbreak.’

The first of its kind, the colloquium’s aim was to promote the exchange of scientific and theoretical information around the issues facing global health security during an act of bioterrorism. It provided a unique opportunity for more than 50 stakeholders from around the world to address the challenges in preparing for, and responding to, a deliberate disease outbreak.

The event was held over 19-23 March 2018 and formed part of the Torrens Resilience Institute’s mandate as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Mass Gathering and Global Health Security.

Participants included representatives from regional World Health Organisation (WHO) offices, academic institutions, national health authorities and the security sector.

A review of several WHO guidance and reference documents followed the three-day colloquium, including those involving responses to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents.

Dr Rebecca Hoile is an international expert on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives, who recently joined Flinders University from INTERPOL in France.

See: Bioterrorism expert joins Flinders