Bahrain’s COVID-19 response showcased at CAPSCA meeting on emergency preparedness planning

Bahrain’s COVID-19 response showcased at CAPSCA meeting on emergency preparedness planning

Bahrain’s exemplary national response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the aviation sector’s preparedness for future health crises were under the spotlight during the joint EUR/MID 10th Meeting of the Middle East Regional Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA EUR-MID/10) and Aviation Medicine Workshop.

Held in the Kingdom of Bahrain for the first time, the event saw participation from international, regional, and local organizations.

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

Over 50 CAPSCA partners and members were in attendance, The meeting comes at a time when the global civil aviation industry is edging closer to recovery.

According to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest industry forecast, worldwide passenger demand is expected to reach 85.5% of 2019 levels during 2023.

BAC Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah said: “In the event of an international outbreak of communicable diseases, the aviation sector can assist by reducing the likelihood of individuals with such diseases travelling outside the outbreak area.

Although