Tag: AKU

Karachi, April 21, 2022 (PPI-OT):Following the announcement by the Chancellor of the Aga Khan University, His Highness the Aga Khan, to rename the University’s teachers’ academy the Haile T. Debas Teachers’ Academy, a ceremony was held to celebrate the achievements of Dr Debas, the internationally acclaimed surgeon, researcher, medical educator, chair of the Academy’s Advisory Board, and erstwhile chairman of AKU’s Board of Trustees.

The Academy is considered to be the first interdisciplinary teaching institution of its kind in the developing world. “It was Dr Debas, who, more than anyone else, is responsible for the existence of the Academy,” said AKU President Sulaiman Shahabuddin.

He thanked Dr Debas for embracing the challenge of transforming teaching and learning at AKU, for bringing his unmatched experience and expertise to the task. “Haile was not alone in recognising that although we had outstanding teachers, teaching needed to change,” he said. “But it was, Haile, who had the knowledge and the experience to guide our ambitions.”

The impact of the Academy, the President pointed out, was recognised internationally in Dubai when the University was presented with the inaugural Award of Excellence for Disruptive Education, a category of the Zairi International Awards for Excellence in Higher Education. “The work of the Teachers’ Academy was among the aspects of QTL [Quality, Teaching and Learning] that the judges singled out for commendation,” said Mr Shahabuddin.

Vice Provost Tashmin Khamis explained that the Haile T. Debas Teachers’ Academy “is a place within the Quality, Teaching and Learning Network where excellent teachers mentor other faculty to enhance teaching practices to ensure continued academic excellence at the University.”

Dr Debas’ illustrious career has spanned many decades and he has held several distinguished positions, including at the University of California, San Francisco (USCF), where he took medical education to new heights. He is also a member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine. Placed uniquely to liaise between institutions, and build partnerships, Dr Debas helped set up the AKU’s Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research by facilitating collaboration between the University and experts at USCF.

Speakers at the ceremony praised Dr Debas’s contributions of over 12 years as a trustee of the AKU Board – seven of them as chairman and said that his efforts were pivotal to the growth and development of the University. They credited him for AKU’s “very strong reputation globally of high-quality faculty and excellent and ambitious students, its first-rate medical care, all of which is held to strong ethics and values”.

Carl Amrhein, Provost and Vice President, Academic referred to Dr Debas as “the father of the quality teaching set of networks”. He stated that AKU’s Institute for Global Health and Development was mapped on the model of “embedding the highly specialised research institute focused on global health in the most elite universities of the world”, a concept pioneered by Dr Debas at USCF. Dr Debas, said Dr Amrhein, was responsible for “triggering bodies of research that have taken root well and firmly in other parts of the world”.

Cutting a virtual ribbon, and making a light remark or two in response to the many tributes he received, Dr Debas thanked the AKU community and Princess Zahra Aga Khan who was present at the event, while crediting the Chancellor His Highness the Aga Khan with the values that permeated the institution. Dr Debas summarised his relationship with the University in these words: “I have been at AKU for 12 years. They have been some of the happiest years of my life”.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

Karachi, April 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):Growing a fully functional heart or a liver in the laboratory to replace diseased organs may not remain a distant possibility. Scientists in different parts of the world are pursuing this ambitious goal using stem cells – the raw material from which other cells grow.

But this promising journey is not as smooth as it may sound, for the conduct and application of stem cell research is ethically far more challenging and complex than other health science disciplines. Questions about the acquisition of stem cells and their potential use or misuse concern all communities around the globe. Therefore, global ethics forums, guidelines, and regulations are in place to closely watch developments in stem cell research. How inclusive are these international forums of voices from diverse contexts remain debatable?

A recent article published in Stem Cell Reports highlights that the voices of faith communities, especially Muslims, are relatively silent in the global discourse on stem cell ethics. It advocates for the inclusion of Muslim perspectives so that the guidelines and regulations can speak to all the contexts participating in or benefiting from this research. The authors of the paper, who are members of an International Ethics Thinking Group, foresee that this inclusion can strengthen the understanding of ethical issues, improve global guidelines and regulations, enhance public engagement in ethics debates and policy development, and enable broader participation in the knowledge society.

“Religion provides the moral compass for addressing ethical issues in science and medicine for faith communities”, says Professor El-Nasir Lalani, Professor Emeritus at Aga Khan University and one of the contributors to the paper.

Representation of faith communities in devising policies is crucial, especially when contested sources such as human embryos are used in stem cell research, argue the authors. “International ethical guidelines currently rest on prevailing approaches to bioethics, which are largely dominated by a principle-driven approach that sees itself as universal,” write the authors. “Nominally secular, this approach has deep, historical indebtedness to the Western Christian tradition.”

Considering this inherent bias and the growing participation of Muslim countries in stem cell science, the authors call for consciously expanding the participation of thought leaders from the Muslim world in global discussions. How will it happen?

Acknowledging the diversity in the Muslim countries, the authors recommend that Muslim scientists, ethicists, lawyers, policymakers, religious scholars, and the public first need to pro-actively engage in deliberations within their own countries to build a consensus around ethical issues in stem cell research. Governments and higher education institutions in these countries need to create in-house opportunities for these stakeholders to come together to understand each other’s work and collectively look for answers to complex ethical problems. Without sufficient homework, it would be hard for Muslim societies to develop regulations relevant to their diverse contexts and which can help improve or shape the international guidelines.

On the other hand, government forums and international norm-forming bodies such as the International Society for Stem Cell Research can include thought leaders, researchers, and scientists from Muslim societies in developing and communicating guidelines for stem cell research.

Extending the scope of international dialogue could encourage the largely absent public debate and participation in policymaking in Muslim countries. Greater engagement can cultivate public trust and guard against unapproved and potentially harmful stem cell-based therapies. Including Muslims in the conversations can help develop a shared moral understanding enabling greater compliance with international guidelines.

Finally, it can raise the standards of policies and practices in science and encourage greater participation from the Muslim world in the knowledge society. This work is supported by the Aga Khan University Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

Karachi, April 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Aga Khan University has announced the signing of a non-exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Baylor College of Medicine for the exchange of expertise and collaboration on health sciences teaching, research, writing and distribution, and international development.

Under the terms of the MoU, Baylor College of Medicine and AKU will work collaboratively in a bidirectional manner, leveraging the strengths of both institutions, with the goal of understanding the determinants of cardio metabolic diseases and identifying culturally relevant interventions that mitigate risks associated with cardio metabolic diseases among South Asians.

“We hope that this bidirectional initiative will allow the generation of new knowledge in the area of cardio metabolic health for South Asians and knowledge sharing between the two institutions, both of which bring rich traditions of academic excellence,” said Dr Salim Virani, professor of cardiology and cardiovascular research at Baylor College of Medicine.

“Our initial efforts will focus on learning more about determinants of cardio metabolic disorders among South Asians and the best practices to mitigate this risk. This will be done by leveraging both community level resources and big data, keeping in mind the cultural context. This is an area of great clinical need.”

Baylor College of Medicine and AKU have a long-standing relationship that has been built on trust, personal relationships, mutual understanding, and a willingness to collaborate on research and educational initiatives that align well with the mission and vision of both institutions. Both parties are excited to work with each other and to build a lasting and wide-ranging partnership.

“South Asians constitute one-quarter of the world’s population, and emerging data indicates they are particularly susceptible to cardio metabolic diseases,” said AKU Provost and Vice President, Academic Carl Amrhein.

“The Aga Khan University has a longstanding commitment to addressing the growing burden of these diseases in the countries it serves, including Pakistan, where an estimated one-third of all deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. We are greatly looking forward to strengthening our partnership with the Baylor College of Medicine and to collaboratively delivering knowledge and solutions that help save lives.”

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

Karachi, April 05, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Aga Khan University’s Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta has been presented the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for outstanding achievements in global health research. The Gairdner Awards are widely regarded as Canada’s most prestigious prize for medical science and the Global Health Award, one of the highest awards in this discipline worldwide.

The Gairdner Foundation annually honours laureates for their contributions to the world’s most significant biomedical and global health research and discoveries. In addition to five international awards, one award is for scientific leadership in Canada and the global health award goes to a scientist whose advances have a significant impact on health outcomes in the developing world.

The Award recognises Dr Bhutta for his work on the development and evaluation of evidence-based interventions in child and maternal health for marginalized populations focusing on outcomes for the essential ‘first thousand days’ of life covering pregnancy, childbirth and the developmental phases in the first two years of life.

“I receive this award with the greatest humility on behalf of my team and colleagues who have worked on many of these issues diligently over decades,” said Dr Bhutta. “This is a recognition of the power of international collaboration and teamwork in addressing some of the complex problems affecting the poorest of the poor.”

Developing a unique collaboration between centres in Pakistan, United Kingdom and Canada, Dr Bhutta has mobilized cluster randomized effectiveness trials (cRCTs) to gather data used to shape and improve evidence and intervention packages for community based maternal and new-born care, nutrition, and early childhood development.

“Recognition by Gairdner tells the world that AKU’s very own Dr Bhutta has made life better for thousands of people in the countries where we seek to serve,” notes Dr Carl Amrhein, Provost and Vice President, Academic of the Aga Khan University. “Our Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan exhorts our university to aspire to create Impact, Quality, Relevance, and Access, known as IQRA; Professor Bhutta’s work embodies these aspirations. We are enormously proud of all he has accomplished thus far, and all he will achieve in the years ahead.”

Globally, Dr Bhutta’s work has been the foundation of multiple international guidelines, including changing World Health Organization policy on the treatment of persistent diarrhoea and malnutrition along with establishing lady health workers (LHW) as foundational members of community-based interventions in Pakistan, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

His work provided the basis for the “Lancet 10” nutritional interventions used to inform international policy on malnutrition. Over the last two decades, his work on evidence-based interventions has helped guide global action plans to improve new-born health and survival. His rigorous approach to investigation has also challenged conventional wisdom, illustrating both the possibilities and limitations of vital interventions like community health workers.

Dr Bhutta has worked extensively in low resource areas, using sustainable interventions such as community support groups, low-cost packages of drugs and commodities that are available and affordable to disadvantaged populations. Through systematic investigation and analysis, he has established the foundations for current understandings of maternal and child health in rural, remote and conflict affected regions, and improved the survival and outcomes of world’s most vulnerable women and children.

At AKU, Dr Bhutta holds the title of Distinguished University Professor – the highest faculty rank the University can confer – as well as an Award of Distinction and Award of Excellence in Research. He has also received the Roux Prize for turning evidence into health impact in 2021.

He is the founding director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health and the Institute for Global Health and Development at the Aga Khan University; and Co-Director of the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health, Robert Harding Chair in Global Child Health and Policy, and a Senior Scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences programme at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

Karachi, March 28, 2022 (PPI-OT):​The Aga Khan Development Network’s Environment and Climate Committee, under the leadership of Prince Rahim Aga Khan, has approved an Environment and Climate Commitment Statement that will guide efforts for the protection of the environment for the entire network across all its geographies.

The Statement has been developed in consultation with all the AKDN agencies including AKU. It is a policy document that frames and articulates AKDN’s approach to the environment and climate and thus provides both a directive and guidance for the work that AKU will do in all its efforts. Central to AKDN’s path forward is the commitment to net zero carbon operations by 2030, in line with the latest climate science to avoid the worst impacts.

The commitment was made public by Prince Rahim – one of the first times – at AKU’s Institute for Global Health and Development’s inaugural SDSN Pakistan seminar. “We want to ensure that in the face of climate change, people not only survive but also thrive,” he said in a video message.

Prince Rahim articulated and gave examples to the four overriding principles that will guide AKDN’s work in environment and climate change:​​

Responsible stewardship of the environment – to help restore and protect the natural environment.

Proactive, socially responsible leadership on the most urgent issue of our time – reduce carbon emissions and increase carbon stock.

Leading by example – reduce carbon to net zero across AKDN operations by 2030.

Putting people at the centre – improve quality of life of the most vulnerable such as building climate resilience and partnering widely.

Mentioning the substantial impacts of natural disasters and of climate change on human health and food security, the economic and human losses, as well as climate-induced internal migration in Pakistan, Prince Rahim recognized that while “all of the AKDN agencies working in Pakistan are devoted to making a difference, there is a special role for the Aga Khan University to play in mitigation and adaptation efforts.”

The environmental footprint of health care is responsible for some 4 and 5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. “So, while we must pursue universal health coverage, in effect we can anticipate that doing so will cause more climate change challenges if we do not develop more sophisticated solutions to ensure we reduce the net emissions of healthcare,” he said. As an example, Prince Rahim emphasized the opportunities to use solar energy generation to power the 800 plus health facilities that AKDN operates globally.

AKU has collected detailed data on its greenhouse gas emissions since early 2020 that forms the basis for knowing emissions hotspots and targeting effective decarbonization action: the University plans to have a decarbonization plan ready by mid-2022. Prince Rahim highlighted: “AKU has a leadership role to play in this regard, in making its hospitals green and moving towards carbon neutrality.”

Underscoring his personal commitment to this work for the future of the planet, Prince Rahim advocated that “we see increased and accelerated action as a moral imperative. We can and must do more. We must act together with greater understanding, greater purpose, and greater speed if we are to avoid the worst consequences for the peoples of Pakistan, South Asia, and the world”.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

Karachi, March 28, 2022 (PPI-OT):An intervention addressing menstrual health issues involving experts and members of the community in District Dadu, Sindh has resulted in a considerable increase in the use of a hygienic absorbent among non-users in the rural target community of Taluka Johi. Moreover, the project has succeeded in dispelling many of the myths and misconceptions regarding menstruation in the target area.

These views were expressed by scholars and experts speaking at a seminar on ‘Menstrual Health and Hygiene – a neglected agenda’, organised by the Aga Khan University’s Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health.

Dr Sidrah Nausheen, Assistant Professor Obstetrics and Gynaecology, described in detail AKU’s intervention on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) that was carried out in collaboration with the Swiss Red Cross in District Dadu. About 25,000 adolescent girls and women were provided knowledge and information on menstruation, menstrual cycle and importance and ways of hygiene management through awareness group sessions.

Common myths and misconceptions were also addressed during these sessions. Adolescent girls and women were also taught how to make a homemade reusable sanitary pad using cloths available at home. This intervention also engaged men so that they could extend their support to women in terms of expenses, access to material and medical care regarding menstrual health issues like any other health concern.

Dr Nausheen further highlighted that the study showed poor baseline knowledge and practices regarding menstruation among adolescent girls and women as the vast majority of girls were uninformed about menstruation prior to menarche.

At baseline, the study showed that around 40 percent of menstruating adolescent girls and women did not use an absorbent. Following the intervention, non-users of absorbents reduced to 11 percent, meaning that 90 percent of adolescent girls and women are now using an absorbent in the study area. Now, 93 percent of adolescent girls and women in the study area are skilled to prepare a homemade reusable cloth pad for themselves.

There was a significant positive behavioural change among adolescent girls and women who previously used to avoid certain foods, bathing, and going outside of the house while menstruating. Similarly, there was a remarkable improvement in the practices of adolescent girls and women regarding taking care of their menstrual materials, like washing them with soap or detergent, drying in the sun and at a high, clean place, keeping it safe from dust and dirt.

The study demonstrated that the implementation of an intervention package that comprised educational sessions, and a low-cost, culturally acceptable absorbent made with locally available materials helped in improving the knowledge and practices of adolescent girls and women.

Moreover, MHM corners were established in the Taluka Headquarter (THQ) hospital Johi to attend to adolescent girls and women visiting the facility to educate and counsel them on improved MHM. Around four women healthcare providers (HCPs) of this facility were provided two weeks’ training by AKU. These trained HCPs played a key role in the delivery of healthcare services. The team of community health workers (women) and community health mobilizers (men) carried out activities in the field. Furthermore, a trained cadre of women and men MHM champions (local volunteers) was prepared to further disseminate knowledge and practices regarding menstrual hygiene in the community.

Dr Adil Haider, Professor and Dean, AKU Medical College, said that men can play an important role in supporting women to better take care of their menstrual health and related needs. He thanked the project lead, Dr Sajid Soofi, Professor, Paediatrics and Child Health and Associate Director, Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health for highlighting such an important issue and presenting an effective and successful model to resolve the challenges faced by adolescent girls and women in rural Pakistan. He also extended his gratitude to the Sindh Health Department for helping to implement the project.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu