NAIROBI, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the sub-Saharan African region should put in place solid guardrails to avert lapses in biosecurity that might comprise human, animal, and environmental health, the World Health Organization (WHO) officials said Tuesday.

WHO Country Representative in Kenya Abdourahmane Diallo said responsible harnessing of biological resources in Africa was imperative to protect civilians from the spread of disease-causing pathogens.

Diallo told a regional forum in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi about the need for African countries to leverage policy and regulatory tools, capacity building and public education as they embark on strengthening biosecurity.

He urged governments in the continent to prioritize investments in robust biosecurity given the growing threat to public health security posed by the mishandling of medical products.

Convened by Kenya's Ministry of Health, the WHO, and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Nairobi forum brought on board senior policymakers and researchers to discuss strategies required to strengthen biosecurity in Africa. Enditem

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