A Pakistani-American doctor has won the “Scientific Achievement Award 2016” from the Nato Science and Technology Organization (STO) for his extra-ordinary performance in research on medical countermeasures against biological agents.

STO, the largest Nato organisation for defence science and technology, honoured Dr Rashid A. Chotani, who was part of a task group researching medical countermeasures against biological agents.

Dr Chotani has worked in the healthcare industry, government and academia in areas such as advanced development of vaccines, therapeutic and diagnostic countermeasures, bio-surveillance etc. As a senior scientist, Dr Chotani has spent more than 20 years in providing bio-security and public health expertise to both public agencies and private industry.

He is an expert in the identification, surveillance and diagnosis of human and zoonotic infectious diseases. His success in the academic field includes establishing and directing the Global Infectious Disease Surveillance and Alert System (GIDSAS) at Johns Hopkins University.

In Pakistan, Dr Chotani helped in upgrading the Early Warning System at the National Institute of Health (NIH), re-developed and furbished the Epidemic Investigation Cell (EIC) with basic infrastructural needs, as well as housed six qualified epidemiologists to assist in disease surveillance.

He has also played an important role as the adviser to the Ministry of Health in developing Pakistan's influenza preparedness plan.

The Nato Achievement Award recognises the outstanding contributions made to STO's sponsored activities that continue to widen STO's technological mandate.