Category: Health

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)  In its latest ‘2022 INTERCOVID Study’ conducted in 41 hospitals across 18 countries, including the Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan, the global network led by the Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute (OMPHI) at the University of Oxford has cited that pregnant women who were vaccinated, were well protected against severe COVID-19 symptoms and complications and had a very low risk of admission to an intensive care unit.

The study evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 Omicron variant on maternal and neonatal outcomes and the efficacy of vaccination to reduce the associated risks. The researchers studied 1,545 pregnant women diagnosed with the variant and 3,073 non-diagnosed, concomitant pregnant women as controls. The in-depth research found out that although Omicron variant is associated with several severe risks for pregnant women, adequate vaccination dosage can limit its risks. In the study, the mRNA vaccines were most effective in preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms and complications, although viral vector vaccines with a booster also provided adequate protection .

The Aga Khan University’s faculty Dr. Shabina Ariff and Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta are co-authors of the Lancet paper that contributed to the evidence with 243 local pregnant women from Pakistan and establish concrete evidence of vaccine effectiveness globally.

Highlighting the importance of vaccination coverage among pregnant women, Professor José Villar, Professor of Perinatal Medicine at the University of Oxford, who co-led INTERCOVID 2022, said “We have provided robust, evidence-based information on the increased risk of the COVID-19 Omicron variant during pregnancy for severe maternal complications among symptomatic and unvaccinated women. Of concern is that severe symptoms of the disease occurred in 4% to 7% of unvaccinated women diagnosed with the COVID-19 Omicron variant during pregnancy. The study clearly indicates the need for a complete vaccination course during pregnancy, preferably with a booster, to provide protection for at least 10 months after the last dose. Antenatal services worldwide should strive to include vaccination against COVID-19 in the routine care of pregnant women.”

The study has concluded that prevention of severe COVID-19 symptoms and complications requires women to be completely vaccinated, preferably with a booster dose as well.

Get Comprehensive Healthcare at Your Fingertips: Find My Doctor and Sina Health Join forces to enhance KMC healthcare initiatives for Karachi residents.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Find My Doctor, a premier online healthtech platform, has partnered with ISO 9001-certified medical laboratory Sina Health to bring comprehensive digital healthcare services to the residents of Karachi. The collaboration aims to provide high-quality and accessible healthcare, especially in these challenging times. In addition to the free video consultations, booking a doctor appointment in 5min through WhatsApp, and home sample collection services already offered through the Find My Doctor platform, the partnership is now expanding to include specialized care in the fields of gynecology, pediatrics, and mental health. 

Find My Doctor has partnered with highly qualified and experienced gynaecologists, pediatricians, and mental health consultants to bring their services online and make it easily accessible to the residents of Karachi via our digital hospital – Sarfaraz Rafiquee Shaheed Hospital. This partnership with Sina Health will enable Find My Doctor to provide comprehensive care for women’s health, child health, and mental health, ensuring that the residents of Karachi receive the best possible care for their well-being. The mental health counseling services provided by Find My Doctor, in partnership with Sina Health, will play a vital role in supporting the residents of Karachi in managing their physical and mental well-being more effectively, providing them with much-needed respite during these trying times.

“We are proud to announce the addition of gynecologists, pediatricians, and mental health consultants to our digital hospital in partnership with Sina Health,” said Saad Wahab Siddiqui, CEO of Find My Doctor. “Our goal has always been to provide comprehensive and accessible healthcare to the residents of Karachi, and this new initiative is a major step in that direction. We believe that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of location, financial situation, or any other barriers.”

“At Sina Health, we believe in providing quality healthcare to everyone,” said Ambreen Kazim Thompson, CEO of Sina Labs. “We are thrilled to join forces with Find My Doctor to provide comprehensive and specialized care to the residents of Karachi. This partnership reflects our commitment to improving healthcare access and enhancing the overall quality of life for the people of Karachi.”

The partnership officially launches on Thursday, 26th January 2023, and patients can expect to see the new services and offerings in the coming weeks. The collaboration between Find My Doctor and Sina Health is a commitment to improving healthcare access and enhancing the overall quality of life for the people of Karachi, building on the KMC partnership.

 

Karachi (Nut Desk)  The Aga Khan University commemorated the launch of a new book titled “Making Health Systems Work in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” which is a textbook for public health practitioners worldwide. Published by Cambridge University Press, this book is co-edited by public health experts Sameen Siddiqui, Awad Mataria, Katherine D. Rouleau, and Meesha Iqbal and was simultaneously launched in Karachi, Cairo, Cambridge, Toronto, and Houston. The book has been formulated by the contribution of rich authorship spread across the globe with the purpose to serve as a resource and guide for strengthening health systems in low-and middle-income countries. Addressing the audience during the ceremony, Dr Sameen Siddiqi, Professor and Chair of Community Health Sciences Department at the Aga Khan University said, “This book bridges the gap between ‘what’ and ‘how’ health systems need to be strengthened in support of universal health coverage and attainment of health-related SDGs. We believe it will serve as a great resource to build capacity of public health professionals to understand different approaches to assess health systems and identify options for accelerated progress towards universal health coverage and health security in LMICs.” The book emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach across health systems, priority health programmes, and the upstream health determinants for improving population health worldwide.

 

AKUH’s Pharmacy Trainee Programme Receives the Coveted American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists Accreditation.

Becomes the largest Programme of its kind in the world and the first in Pakistan.

Advances  AKUH’s  pharmacy traineeship Programme to a residency model.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) The Aga Khan University Hospital’s flagship Pharmacy Trainee Programme has received the coveted American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accreditation for International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programmes (IPPR), becoming the first academic medical centre outside the United States, the third international hospital and the first in Pakistan, to receive the prestigious three-year accreditation.

This accreditation helps raise the standards of training for pharmacists, who offer critical services in patient care. Well-dispensed medicines ensure their best use and efficacy with expert management of the patient’s response as well as medicine interaction. With this accreditation, the AKUH Pharmacy Residency Programme has become an internationally recognized training site and will serve as a role model for producing exemplary practitioners, who will positively impact the practice of pharmacy in Pakistan.

The one-year pharmacy traineeship programme, being offered at AKUH since 1990, has more than 800 alumni rendering professional pharmacy services, and acting as pioneers in the field in Pakistan. The accreditation also advances AKUH’s traineeship programme to a residency model with international recognition, joining a community of over 2,000 sites across the world with accredited programmes.

As part of the accreditation process, AKUH’s pharmacy traineeship programme complied with stringent competencies, educational goals, and objectives, including more than 100 ASHP residency learning objectives, and more than 200 measurable elements.

ASHP standards cover fundamental pharmacy practice areas such as Practice Foundation Skills, Drug Information Medication Policy, and Drug Safety, Practice Management and Leadership, Patient care, Education of others, and Project management.

Congratulating the pharmacy team on achieving this milestone, Dr Farhat Abbas, Interim CEO AKU Health Services Pakistan, said, “the ASHP accreditation is a testament to the fact that our patients are at the forefront of everything we do,” adding that, “this accreditation is not only a feather in the cap for AKUH but also for the country.”

Lauding the teams for their dedication and hard work, Dr Adil Haider, Dean Medical College, AKU, said, “By getting ASHP-accredited, AKU has demonstrated its continuing commitment to advancing pharmacy practice and providing quality patient care,” adding that the accreditation will serve as means to adopt and implement an even higher quality pharmacy practice and an enhanced residency programme.

Highlighting the impact of the accreditation, Syed Shamim Raza, Director of Pharmacy Services, Pakistan, said, “We set ourselves the goal to develop our pharmacy practices further to fulfill AKUH’s vision of raising the standards of healthcare in Pakistan and we achieved this goal through the ASHP accreditation which marks us as a world-class institution for hospital pharmacy practice and training, ensuring that our patients benefit from international best practices of pharmacy.”

ASHP is a US-based professional organization that represents pharmacists serving as patient care providers in hospitals and other healthcare settings. They believe that hospitals with accredited pharmacy residency programmes are publicly demonstrating their commitment to advancing pharmacy practice and providing high-quality patient care. The organization’s nearly 75,000 members include pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians.

Being one of the most innovative and comprehensive institutional pharmacy networks in Pakistan, AKUH pharmacies are trusted for delivering high-quality and authentic medications, through a robust team of highly qualified pharmacists and technicians. Our pharmacy residency programme, is the largest ASHP-accredited programme in the world and aims to develop competent pharmacists, who are equipped with the necessary skills and professional knowledge to raise the standards of pharmacy practice in Pakistan.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

To raise awareness of the impact of vision impairment caused by uncorrected refractive errors (URE) in children, ‘Noor’, a film starring Sarwat Gillani and Umair Rana has been released by international development organization Sightsavers during a ceremony held in Islamabad.

Over 4 million children in Pakistan are estimated to have Uncorrected Refractive Error (URE), which include short and long-sightedness and affect child development, future opportunities, and can lead to children missing school. With over 2 million children already locked out of learning due to recent devastating floods. The impact of poor eye health will only increase this number if we don’t act now.

The film, produced in collaboration with SeePrime and WhiteRice and directed by Umer Adil, reflects these issues, and revolves around a schoolgirl struggling with poor eye health and problems associated with it. It also focuses on the need to challenge societal stigmas associated with wearing glasses.

Ms. Zeb Jaffar, Honorable Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Professional Training graced the occasion as chief guest and appreciated Sightsavers’s role in focusing on this important issue of eye health and linking it to educational outcomes and said that governments need to contribute and do their best for the future generations of our nation. She ensured her commitment to work in coordination with health ministry to address the issues of URE, early identification of eye problems and its treatment at schools’ level.

Munazza Gillani, Country Director Pakistan at Sightsavers, said: “Social drama films do more than raise awareness, they draw you into the story and lives of the characters. They can soften and dissolve barriers and prejudices, creating space for change to take place in the real-world.”

 “Good eye health equals opportunity and has a ripple effect on children, improving education, wellbeing, economics, and health outcomes. We hope that this film will encourage government, parents, and teachers to recognize the importance of eye health and play their role in managing and addressing unaddressed refractive errors.”

Sarwat Gillani, lead actor and Ambassador of Special Olympics Pakistan, said in her video message that she hopes that the project will help build a better and brighter future and that coming together for this cause will help address the stigma many people face around wearing glasses.

Fellow cast member Umair Rana added that it is the responsibility of everyone to ensure good eye health in children, be it parents, teachers, or older members of society. Many people don’t realize the wider impact of vision impairment but projects like this play an important role in reaching out to as many people as possible and raising awareness so that no one is left behind when it comes to eye health.

The premiere event was attended and appreciated by development, education and health sector practitioners, diplomats, public sector officials, school principals and the film cast. It has also been launched digitally on SeePrime and Sightsavers social media channels. The audience liked the film and considered this concept of using film and emotions to promote awareness, a great step in the right direction.

‘Noor’ is an initiative in Sightsavers’ school health screening project, which trains teachers in basic eye health screening and provides services such as eye examinations, prescriptions, glasses, and surgery. It complements Sightsavers’ ‘Eye Health Equals’ campaign which calls on governments, organizations, donors, and communities to ensure eye health is prioritized.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/ZOKOaeEyrco

NADRA, Shifa International Hospital sign a first of its kind agreement on the provision of ID Verification System Introduction of ID Verification System under e-health initiative is yet another pioneering digital intervention for public good: Chairman NADRA.

Health sector to enormously benefit from NADRA’s digital system enhancing transparency and fairness of organ allocation: Tariq Malik

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) In yet another significant development, the health sector is all set to leverage NADRA’s ehealth digital suite ensuring transparency and fairness in organ allocation and transplantation. Chairman NADRA Tariq Malik and CEO Shifa International Dr. Manzoor ul Haq Qazi inked an agreement on the provision of an ID Verification solution which would authenticate and verify the patients as well as donors of organ transplantation. Taking stock of the perennial issues in the healthcare sector, NADRA Chairman Tariq Malik has rolled out ID Verification Solution under the umbrella of e-health suite. It has been envisioned that the initiative will curb illegal trafficking of organ transplant through an airtight mechanism of compliance, registration and swift and hassle-free verification in organ allocation and transplant. While speaking on the occasion, Chairman NADRA said, “NADRA has pivoted ID Ecosystem to introduce e-health initiatives, one of which is the current solution that will make the process of organ donor and transplant transparent and accountable. NADRA, the most responsive public sector organization, has once again demonstrated its utmost commitment towards providing a very smart solution to resolve one of the longstanding issues in health sector that is to combat illegal organ trafficking.” “We have introduced digital ehealth suite for swift verification of recipient and donor, which will further help health service providers to combat illegal trade and transplantation of human cells, organs, and tissues”, the Chairman added. “We are confident that signing of this agreement under e-health initiatives will further open up the venues of collaboration with hospitals and medical institutions conducting organ transplantation nationwide. NADRA is already in receipt of expressions of interest from 22 hospitals from across the country to implement this initiative”, the chairman concluded. Dr. Manzoor ul Haq Qazi) CEO Shifa International Hospital said, “The miseries of the patients that go through the procedure of organ and tissue transplantation can never be ignored. We have been welcoming such patients since long but the regulatory processes involved in such procedures were lengthy and encouraged illegal trade in the sector. Thanks to the NADRA who have equipped us with its efficient and transparent Biometric Verification System, which will speed up verification and registration for the transplantation of human cells, organs and tissues, lessening the sufferings of the recipients and donors.” NADRA’s digital service will also help the hospital authorities to make an informed decision with regard to permitting the donation of organ by unrelated individuals. The ID Verification System shall authenticate recipient’s claim of lacking eligible family members as per the family record present in NADRA’s database. Under this collaboration, Shifa International Hospitals will be equipped with a 24/7 system through which identification and verification of donors and patients of organ transplant will be carried through an absolute hassle-free biometric verification system (BVS). It is pertinent to mention that prior to the BVS, the patients as well as the donors for the organ and tissue transplantation had to go through a prolonged and agonizing procedure to get themselves registered with the Punjab Human Organ Transplant Authority (PHOTA).

(NUT DESK)

Karachi The groundbreaking of a state-of-the-art medical healthcare facility aimed at providing world-standard treatment services to up to one million deserving patients in a year was performed here in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area. The non-profit Imamia Medics International (IMI) in partnership with Baqir Health and Educational Welfare Trust and Zaidi Abid Foundation USA has aimed to build the project of University Medical Complex (UMC) in seven years as a modern tertiary care teaching hospital in Karachi that would provide specialised healthcare services in different fields of medicine. The 500-bedded health care facility after its completion will provide free-of-charge modern treatment and hospitalization services to 2,00,000 patients in a year from the deprived communities. The advanced treatment facilities will be extended to another 800,000 patients from middle and lower -income groups at highly subsidized rates. The IMI and its partners require US $ 33 million for the completion of the project whereas charitable donations of Rs one billion are immediately needed to start construction of the UMC. Speaking as the guest of honour at the groundbreaking ceremony, noted religious scholar, Allama Syed Shehanshah Hussain Naqvi, said the construction of the UMC in Karachi was fully in line with the fundamental teachings of Islam that stood for providing quality healthcare services to every suffering patient without any discrimination. He urged the concerned philanthropists from the Muslim community all over the world to come forward and generously donate for ensuring the timely completion of the modern healthcare facility in the city. He said that Islam had always emphasized helping the suffering and ailing humanity on an emergency basis as the affluent people in the society should actively take part in this noble cause. Allama Naqvi also announced a donation of Rs 500,000 for the project. Dr Hssain Mehdi, representing Baqir Health and Educational Welfare Trust, told the audience that the UMC would be the embodiment of the cherished dream of likeminded senior healthcare professionals in Pakistan and abroad who wanted to serve a large number of patients in their native land who couldn’t afford best treatment services as they belonged to the deprived communities. He expressed gratitude to the concerned well-wishers, donors, and philanthropists who had been constantly supporting the proposal of the UMC to the stage that the actual execution of the project had started. Dr Mehdi said that every concerned Pakistani who wanted to see easy availability of modern healthcare facilities all over the country for all the communities without any discrimination should fully own and support the upcoming UMC. Dr Dilbar Saeed, representing the IMI, told the audience that the site of Gulistan-e-Jauhar had been selected for the UMC as this neighbourhood was going to become the centre of the city keeping in view rapid expansion of Karachi as a modern healthcare facility built in this area would be easily accessible by a large number of patients. He said the UMC would operate round-the-clock with emergency treatment facilities for both adult and child patients whereas the upcoming healthcare facility would also give specialised care to cancer patients. Dr Saeed said that a specialised service of the new facility would relate to the health of women and girls which was generally ignored in Pakistan, especially in the rural areas. He informed the audience that UMC would serve as a role model of modern treatment services to be easily replicated in any part of Pakistan by other concerned charities working in the field of medicine. He said the IMI in line with its extensive charitable work continuing in Pakistan for the past 30 years had recently treated thousands of patients in the flood-hit parts of the country without any discrimination. He said that similarly, the UMC would provide all essential basic and specialised healthcare services to patients without any discrimination. Pakistan’s Ambassador-at-large on Investment, Syed Zeeshan Shah, appreciated the construction of the UMC in Karachi while hoping that the upcoming specialised medical facility would transform healthcare services in Pakistan. The Ambassador-at-large announced Rs 5 million donation for the project. Dr Shabih Zaidi, Chancellor of Sadiq International Virtual University UK, appreciated that the UMC would go a long way in serving millions of patients from the underdeveloped parts of Pakistan. Noted Islamic scholar, Allama Razi Jaffer Naqvi, said the brains behind the UMC project were the true and committed followers of Islam as they had embarked upon the mission of serving the ailing humanity without any discrimination. He also announced Rs 500,000 donation for the project.

Consul General of the UAE Collaboration with  Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation for Awareness of Thalassemia across the Province.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) An event organized by H.E. Bakheet Ateeq Al Remeithi, Consul General of the UAE, Karachi in collaboration with Dr. Asim Qidwai, Founder & CEO, Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation, for the Awareness of Thalassemia across the Province. CG Bakheet Al Rehmeithi said to provide his continuous support to AMTF for Thalassemia Free Pakistan, while Dr. Qidwai gave the message to the youth to “get yourself screened against Thalassemia before marriage”. Dr. Qidwai said to add Thalassemia Awareness Campaign in the curriculum of school textbooks.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Officials from Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority, Sindh Ministry of Health, and Board Members & High Officials from AMTF, Mr Ateeq-ur-Rehman, Rehan Yaseen, Anis-ur-Rehman, Rashid Aziz, Abdullah Abid, Ubaid-ur-Rehman, and Zain Bashir attended the event.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) The Aga Khan Hospital for Women in Karimabad, Karachi and Aga Khan Maternal and Child Care Centre in Hyderabad, part of the Aga Khan University Hospitals (AKUH) network; and Aga Khan Medical Centre in Gilgit, part of the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS) network, have become the first hospitals in Pakistan to receive the Level 5 SafeCare certification. Poor healthcare in low- and middle-income countries leads to millions of preventable deaths each year. However, these countries historically have a shortage of institutions that rate, improve and incentivize healthcare quality. This is the gap where SafeCare steps in to intervene and innovate. An initiative of PharmAccess, Joint Commission International (JCI), and Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA), SafeCare is a methodology with international accredited standards, aiming to improve quality care in low- and middle income countries, where 3.6 million people die every year because of low quality care. Level 5 status is given to institutions that demonstrate high-quality standards across the SafeCare Service Elements. “SafeCare certification is an endorsement that a health facility has met certain internationally recognized quality and safety standards for patient care,” said Dr Farhat Abbas, interim Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan University (AKU) Health Services in Pakistan. “In addition to the SafeCare certification, AKUH is also accredited by JCI, and its clinical laboratories are accredited by the College of American Pathologists for fast and accurate testing. These accreditations are a true testament to the high-quality of healthcare and patient safety we provide.” The French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) in Kabul has also become the first hospital in Afghanistan to receive the SafeCare certification. The facility is managed by AKU. Speaking on what it means to receive the accreditation, Syed Nadeem Husain Abbas, Chief Executive Officer of AKHS, Pakistan commented, “We are very excited about receiving the SafeCare certification, as it brings us one step closer to the level of excellence in healthcare that we believe our communities need and which we aspire to deliver. Our aim now is to take the quality of our health services to the next level and to inspire other hospitals and medical centres in Pakistan to do the same.” AKU and AKHS, both agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), work hand-in-hand to deliver high-quality health services across Pakistan. In addition to the main hospital in Karachi, AKU operates four secondary hospitals, as well as 290+ clinical laboratories and medical centres throughout the country. To further extend this network, AKHS operates 113 health facilities, including two comprehensive medical centres, across Pakistan. “We are committed to providing patient safety and quality healthcare. With the addition of four hospitals in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the number of SafeCare-certified facilities in the AKDN health system has reached 38, including 34 medical centres in Kenya and Tanzania,” said Dr Zeenat Sulaiman, Global Head of Quality, Clinical Programmes and Projects at AKHS. PharmAccess CEO Nicole Spieker welcomed the newly SafeCare-certified hospitals in Pakistan and Afghanistan. “For better patient care and safety, PharmAccess will continue to expand and scale its SafeCare programme to support healthcare facilities offering primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in different regions. The Aga Khan hospitals have demonstrated that with dedication, quality of care is possible everywhere,” she said. Dr Mairaj Shah, Chief Operating Officer of AKUH Secondary Hospitals thanked the PharmAccess’ quality team for working and supporting the hospitals throughout the certification process.