Global Health Security Initiative Symposium
Enhancing public health management of chemical incidents through collaboration with poison centres
A case studies-based virtual symposium
The 2025 Global Health Security Initiative (GHSI) Symposium, hosted by the Chemical Events Working Group (CEWG) in partnership with NCCEH, took place virtually on February 6, 13, and 20, 2025. This event focused on enhancing public health management of chemical incidents through collaboration with poison centers, attracting over 565 participants from 70 countries.
The symposium addressed the critical need for collaboration between poison centers and public health entities throughout the Disaster Management Cycle of Chemical Incidents. The event aimed to strengthen partnerships and improve the overall management of chemical incidents by fostering close ties between poison centers and public health entities. This collaboration is crucial for effective surveillance, mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery in chemical incidents.
Key aspects of the event included the use of case studies-based presentations of real-life chemical incident responses, highlighting collaborative efforts; interactive discussions that explored experiences, capabilities; and collaboration opportunities between poison centers and public health entities.
The objectives of the symposium were to:
- examine experiences, capabilities, and lessons learned from chemical incident responses
- identify the opportunities and value of collaboration in emergency management
- share best practices and addresses challenges to collaboration.
Watch day 1 recordings |
|
Time stamp |
Welcoming remarksMatthew Jones, Assistant Deputy Minister, Government of Canada |
14:51 |
#1 : Harnessing the power of collaboration in the ammonia mass casualty incident 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic: the UP NPMCC and PGH experience |
57:14 |
#2: Collaboration between the public health emergency operation center and the poison control section in Oman: An example from EMRO |
1:41:47 |
#3: Aconitine Outbreak Events (2022) – Management and lessons learned from Canada |
Watch day 2 recordings |
|
Time stamp |
#4: Poison center-public health collaborative in Thailand: Methanol incident |
44:40 |
#5: Shedding light on DNP poisoning in the UK: Progress and challenges encountered |
1:22:50 |
#6: Mathiesen molypac major chemical incident |
1:59:49 |
#7: Coagulopathy associated with brodifacoum poisoning in Florida residents—December 2021 |
2:38:40 |
#8: Paralytic shellfish poisoning, Oregon, 2024: Poison center |
Watch day 3 recordings |
|
Timestamp |
Facilitated speakers-audience roundtable discussions: TownhallPoison Centres and Public Health |
19:16 |
OECD Guiding principles: Public health authorities and poison centres within chemical accident prevention preparedness and response |
1:00:00 |
Summary, recommendations and best practices of case studies (10 min each) & Live Q&A (30 min sessions) |
3:30:46 |
Keynote closing remarks |