Aga Khan University set to expand

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Aga Khan University Hospital becomes the first to introduce advanced equipment for brain surgeries in Pakistan

Advanced equipment for brain surgeries comes to Pakistan

AKUH is the only hospital outside North America with this system

Karachi, April 11, 2016: The Aga Khan University Hospital has become the first to introduce new extraordinarily advanced brain surgery technology to Pakistan – and the only hospital outside North America with this equipment.

The revolutionary technology – with its highly detailed 3D imaging and robotic positioning system – will transform the way surgeons operate on delicate areas of the brain and radically alter treatment options for patients.

/ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/04/11/aga-khan-university-hospital-becomes-the-first-to-introduce-advanced-equipment-for-brain-surgeries-in-pakistan/

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Mehfil-e-Mushaira (Urdu Poetry-telling) at Aga Khan University, Karachi

It was a one-of-its-kind occasion held on March 25, 2016 as the poets who gathered for the programme were some of the brightest names in Urdu literature, and a few of them are seldom seen participating in mushairas (poetry symposia).

/ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/mehfil-e-mushaira-urdu-poetry-telling-at-aga-khan-university-karachi/
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Aga Khan University introduces real-time monitoring of vaccination in collaboration with the Government of Sindh, Pakistan

Karachi, May 9, 2016: Routine immunization rates have been falling in Sindh from 37 per cent in 2006-07 to 29 per cent in 2012-13. This is one of the reasons behind polio endemicity and is leading to outbreaks of deadly preventable childhood diseases such as measles. Other diseases covered by routine immunization are hepatitis B, pneumococcal infections, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

What is wrong with routine immunization and how can it be improved?

A pilot project in District Tando Muhammad Khan (TMK) implemented by Aga Khan University and supported by Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations assessed the barriers and strengthened government Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) services through game changers. The result was a jump in routine immunization from 15-19 per cent surveyed for different vaccines–to 49-84 per cent as reported by independent monitoring.

According to the project lead for this component Dr Shehla Zaidi, Associate Professor, Women and Child Health Division, Aga Khan University, the main bottlenecks were low accountability of routine immunization, children often getting missed for vaccination at health facilities, insufficient visits to villages by vaccinators, and little efforts at routine immunization awareness even by the health workforce on ground. Above all, the vaccination reporting is unverified, the numbers reported by government’s EPI are much higher than that by the national Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys, showing the gap in performance accountability

So the project used strategies that can be sustained by the government, involve little cost and do not involve additional manpower.

The breakthrough came by focusing on performance accountability of vaccination, monitored independently through a smart phone android application. Named Teeko, the app was designed with the Aga Khan Development Network e-Health Resource Centre in Karachi. It monitors the number of children being immunized, vaccinators’ movement, vaccine stock available at union council with real data instantly available for checking at district and provincial level. And the district took action by suspending low performing vaccinators and publically appreciating well performing ones.

Fuel support for visiting villages was provided to vaccinators based on immunization performance provided to vaccinators– and a detailed district micro-plan developed

A team approach to vaccination was brought in bringing the Department of Health staff and People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative staff together as a single team to reduce children missed for vaccination. Single window system was put in place at basic health units and rural health centers so that every child who comes in is screened for vaccination status, at colorful child friendly EPI rooms. All frontline health staff from doctors to dispensers to lady health workers were trained to actively counsel and refer children for immunization. The team also plans together for monthly achievement of union council targets.

Communication to community was improved through one time, sustainable measures. Demand generation messages were sent to all mobile phone users for children registration, and local FM radio broadcasted jingles.

The innovations were designed in close collaboration with Sindh EPI, implemented through the district government and with input from UN agencies.

“At the same time, we had a high number of vaccinations reported that didn’t match the actual disease outbreak numbers. As the three month roll-out results show, there is instant online reporting of children under one-year-old vaccinated against targets, static and outreach performance, as well as details of underperforming and over-performing union councils,” she added.

District officials and legislators have welcomed the new planning and monitoring systems and are aware of the efforts that have been invested in the project.

“A major challenge for the district administration will be to sustain the progress we have made after the project is over,” said Agha Abdul Raheem, Deputy Commissioner, TMK.

“The real-time performance monitoring has been the major driver and can be taken over by EPI Sindh at very little additional cost and incorporated in its upcoming expanded EPI support,” said Dr Zaidi.

ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/aga-khan-university-introduces-real-time-monitoring-of-vaccination-in-collaboration-with-the-government-of-sindh-pakistan/

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Aga Khan University Hospital Student Financial Assistance Report for 2015

Karachi, Aga Khan University (AKU), May 05, 2016: AKU announces the release of 2015 Student Financial Assistance Report.

Through generosity of donors, Aga Khan University has developed leaders, problem-solvers and care-givers who are committed to the regions and communities they serve. AKU develops global ‘agents of change’, whose skills have been nurtured by using the latest technology and by creating a truly multi-cultural learning environment. In 2015, 345 students received assistance worth PKRs210 million (US$2.1 million) from AKU. Many of these students would not have been able to pursue a quality education without assistance.

This report captures the zeal and determination of Nooreen Maqsood and Saad Ali. Many other students such as Nooreen and Saad have benefited from the generosity of AKU’s donors.

Click here to download (PDF): AKU Student Financial Assistance Report for 2015.
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Aga Khan University and partners launch landmark study to help Kenya meet maternal and child health goals

April 28, 2016


​Aga Khan University, Kenya’s Ministry of Health and a group of partners launched the Kenya Countdown to 2015 Country Case Study on April 28, one of the most detailed analyses to date of Kenya’s progress in reducing maternal and child deaths.

The study provides policymakers, health care providers and the public with a roadmap that can guide efforts to accelerate improvements in maternal and child health and achieve the new targets in the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The launch was attended by the First Lady of the Republic of Kenya, Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta, and Princess Zahra Aga Khan.

More..
http://www.aku.edu/aboutaku/news/Pages/ ... Study.aspx

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Kids Build The Best Cities
Excerpt:

The East African Institute of Aga Khan University in partnership with Korogocho-based and youth-led K-Youth Media are deploying video and photography in a social purpose storytelling campaign to raise awareness and motivate public dialogue, consensus and action on open, child-friendly spaces in densely populated neighbourhoods of Nairobi’s Eastlands. Although these neighbourhoods are bustling with enterprise and ingenuity we could do better for our children.

These neighbourhoods are home to the majority of Kenya’s urban children. Hence, the long-term implication for our society is grave especially because our urban population is growing rapidly. We say the children are the future. Because we have them here now we must act decisively to provide spaces that will enable their development and flourishing.

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http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/05/ ... s_c1343196
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Prime Minister of Tanzania, Kassim Fate holds talks with AKDN’s Amin Kurji & AKU’s Firoz Rasul and Al-Karim Haji

May 19, 2016, Dodoma, Tanzania: Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Kassim Fate together with Tanzania’s Minister of Education, Science and Vocational Training, Professor Joyce Ndalichako, hosted AKDN’s leaders Amin Kurji (AKDN Resident Representative for Tanzania), Firoz Rasul (AKU President) and Al-Karim Haji (AKU’s Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer) to talk about the progress and scaling up of various AKDN initiatives in Tanzania and the East African Community region.

From L-R: Al-Karim Haji (AKU’s Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer); AKU’s President, Firoz Rasul; AKDN Resident Representative for Tanzania, Amin Kurji; Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Fate; Tanzania’s Minister of Education, Science and Vocational Training, Professor Joyce Ndalichako; Dr. Joe L. Lugallo (Tanzanian born Health and International Development Consultant) pose for picture at the Prime Minister's Office. (Image credit: Mkluu/ Prime Minister's Office).
From L-R: Al-Karim Haji (AKU’s Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer); AKU’s President, Firoz Rasul; AKDN Resident Representative for Tanzania, Amin Kurji; Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Fate; Tanzania’s Minister of Education, Science and Vocational Training, Professor Joyce Ndalichako; Dr. Joe L. Lugallo (Tanzanian born Health and International Development Consultant) pose for picture at the Prime Minister’s Office. (Image credit: Mkluu/ Prime Minister’s Office).

Aga Khan University (AKU) is in the process of building the Faculty of Arts and Science in Arusha, Tanzania which will be the epicenter of AKU’s presence in the East African region, serving a regional population of over 150 million people.

/ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/prime-minister-of-tanzania-kassim-fate-holds-talks-with-akdns-amin-kurji-akus-firoz-rasul-and-al-karim-haji/

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AKDN’s University Network: aku.edu’s refreshed website launched

AKDN's University Network: aku.edu's refreshed website launchedAga Khan University (aku.edu) is a unique hybrid: an institution of academic excellence that is also an agent for social development. A leading source of medical, nursing and teacher education, research and public service in the developing world, the University prepares men and women to lead change in their societies and to thrive in the global economy. AKU’s faculty, students and graduates go where the need is greatest, working in informal urban settlements, remote villages and regions where conflict or neglect has decimated basic services. Indeed, in many cases, such communities are their homes.

AKDN's University Network: aku.edu's refreshed website launchedGuided by the principles of impact, quality, relevance and access, the University has campuses and programmes in Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom.

Visit aku.edu to browse their refreshed website.

Aga Khan University Network’s official social media links:

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Launch of new intensive care facility for children

Karachi, May 23, 2016: A brand new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit was inaugurated at the Aga Khan University Hospital on Monday.

Specially designed to treat children fighting life-threatening diseases, the new 5,500 square foot, Rs 200 million, eight-bed facility will facilitate many more infants, toddlers and pre-teens whose fragile health requires special attention.

A quick glance at Pakistan’s child mortality rates highlights the urgent need for dedicated facilities to treat children facing complicated diseases. One in 11 children die before their fifth birthday and one in 66 infants lose their lives before the age of one, according to Unicef’s State of Children in Pakistan report.

Over the past five years, the University’s teaching hospital at Stadium Road, Karachi, has noticed a three-fold increase in children requiring intensive care. The new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) will provide personalised care to around 400 at-risk children every year thereby helping address the shortage of intensive care facilities for children.

Outlining the need for a PICU, Interim Head of the Division for Women and Child Health Professor Iqtidar Ahmad Khan said: “At present many critically ill children continue to receive treatment alongside adults in intensive care units even though a child’s needs are different to that of an adult.”

“A dedicated facility will improve the availability of specialists for ailing children and also create a more comfortable environment for parents seeking the best treatment for their child,” he added.

The new facility has eight large rooms whose open spaces have been designed to enable a variety of specialists to collaborate in treating the child. A dedicated waiting area is present for families and a parent can be with the child in the room whenever s/he is awake.

Every room is equipped with state-of-the-art ventilators and advanced syringe pumps to administer essential medicines. Monitoring systems constantly track breathing, heart function and electrical activity in the brain. The PICU also houses two negative pressure isolation rooms to provide special care to children with contagious diseases.

The advanced systems available in each room are used by skilled paediatricians supported by a team of nurses – one nurse to each patient ensuring that no child in intensive care is left alone. Each nurse is trained to identify signs of worsening health in young babies and is aware of how to calm the fears of children and parents in the unfamiliar environment of a hospital.

The opening of the PICU follows the January 2015 doubling in the capacity of the University Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to a 24-bedded unit, which cares for babies under 28 days of age.

Commenting on the impact of the PICU, AKU President Firoz Rasul said:


“The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit is an integral part of the University’s commitment to Women and Child Health. This focus on children’s health through the provision of intensive care for neonates, babies and adolescents is a key part of our services and education as well as research.”

The benefits of the PICU will extend beyond the boundaries of the AKUH and its patients. During treatment, AKUH’s specialists are constantly sharing their expertise in paediatric critical care with young doctors through the University’s fellowship programme. Upon the completion of their education and training, fellow will be able to apply their skills at any hospital, inside or outside Pakistan.

At the ceremony, one of the PICU donors said: “There is nothing worse for a parent than seeing their child suffer from a life-threatening disease. The uncertainty and helplessness of such difficult times is eased when you know that there is a specially designed facility that can bring them back to health.”

“We know that there is a shortage of high quality facilities to treat critically ill children. By helping the AKUH set up such a facility, we are confident that we can save the lives of many young kids,” he added.

About Aga Khan University

Chartered in 1983, the Aga Khan University is a private, autonomous university that promotes human welfare through research, teaching and community service initiatives. Based on the principles of quality, access, impact and relevance, the university has campuses and programmes in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan and Pakistan; activities in Syria and Egypt have been suspended. Its facilities include teaching hospitals, Faculties of Health Sciences with Schools of Nursing and Midwifery and Medical Colleges, Institutes for Educational Development, an Examination Board and an Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations. A Graduate School of Media and Communications, an East African Institute and an Institute for Human Development are under development while Faculties of Arts and Sciences are to be set up in Pakistan and East Africa. Through its needs-blind admissions policy, the University imbues the most promising leaders and thinkers of tomorrow with an ethic of service and the skills to help communities solve their most pressing challenges.

The Aga Khan University is one of nine agencies in the Aga Khan Development Network, a group of private development agencies with mandates ranging from health and education to architecture, culture, microfinance, rural development, disaster reduction, the promotion of private-sector enterprise and the revitalisation of historic cities.

/ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/aga-khan-university-hospital-karachi-inaugurates-new-intensive-care-facility-for-children/

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Architect’s rendering: Aga Khan University Arusha – Mount Meru in Background

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Mother-child health: AKU opens research and training centre

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http://tribune.com.pk/story/1077307/mot ... n-matiari/

The Express Tribune > Pakistan > Sindh

By Our Correspondent
Published: April 2, 2016

Mother-child health: AKU opens research and training centre in Matiari

HYDERABAD:
The Aga Khan University (AKU) inaugurated a research and training centre in Matiari district on Friday.

The centre, equipped with a laboratory, training spaces, data centres and office space, will conduct research and capacity buildings programmes on mother and child healthcare.

The centre has been constructed at an over 11,000 square-feet plot at a cost of Rs68.4 million, funded by United Energy Pakistan. According to Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta, founding director of AKU’s Centre for Excellence in Women and Child Health, “The centre will become the hub of the university’s research and training into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of some of today’s major mother and child healthcare problems in the country.” Matiari, with a population of around 500,000 scattered over 1,400 villages and three semi-urban underdeveloped talukas, is around 30 kilometres away from Hyderabad. According to the AKU, more than half of the total births in the district take place at home, attended by unskilled birth attendants.

AKU president Firoz Rasul said the university is working to improve the lives of women, newborns, infants and children in the regions it serves, including Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Afghanistan.

“Last year, AKU pledged to support the global strategy’s ambitious yet achievable targets — which are fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals — with an investment of over $85 million to improve capacity and develop programmes that will reach over 15 million women and children in South-Central Asia and East Africa, and potentially save a million lives,” he said.

Sindh health director-general Dr Hassan Murad Shah said despite ups and downs in cooperation since 1999, the health department and AKU have been working hand-in-hand to meet local needs and international commitments.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2016.
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Murang’a, Aga Khan deal to improve health

Murang’a county government has partnered with Agha Khan University to streamline health services.

The deal was signed by Governor Mwangi Wairia and Aga Khan CEO Shawn Bolouki. Medical students from the institution will also undergo medical training in health facilities in Murang’a county. Wairia said the partnership will improve health services and help the county set standards equivalent to the ones in Aga Khan hospitals.

“Medical students from the university will practice in our hospitals and in turn, we will have an exchange of ideas and expertise,” Wairia said. He said the county will send a team of doctors to Agha Khan hospitals to gain specialised skills and get exposure on medical services.

Representatives agreed to form a 10-member committee to draw a plan of action into the execution of the agreement.

The governor said Aga Khan offers quality medical services but is inaccessible to the poor due to the high charges. The agreement will help to decentralise services to the rural areas at an affordable price.

“Our aim as a county government is to offer the best health services to the poor and this partnership will make that possible,” Wairia said. He said the county will explore other areas of skills development for health workers on cancer treatment.

Bolouki said by signing the deal, the county has made it possible for Aga Khan institutions to implement one of its visions of capacity building. The CEO praised Wairia for collaborating with the Aga Khan University, saying the partnership will allow the institution get directly involved with the local community
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Levelling the playing field: AKU-EB — a game-changer for transparent exam marking


KARACHI:
To change the conventional methods of the examination system, Aga Khan University -Examination Board (AKU-EB) has created an e-marking system, hoping to put an end to corruption and copy culture in examinations.

AKU-EB is committed to maintaining transparency and confidentiality and to sustain this they have ensured that their assessment and results are reliable and match with international standards. “We aim to provide opportunities for students by being assessed through a fair and transparent system,” said AKU-EB director Dr Shehzad Jeeva.

To make the system more reliable, he said that they have installed CCTV cameras in most of their examination centres and the rest will be completed by May 2017. “Seventy-five per cent of our centres have been covered through CCTV cameras and this will be completed by next year’s examinations,” said Dr Jeeva, adding that currently the e-marking is used to mark Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary School Certificate annual exam papers.

Explaining the marking software and process of e-marking at the AKU-EB, the senior examiner for chemistry, environmental studies and home economics, Afreen Kanwal told The Express Tribune that the marking teams comprise fixe examiners and one senior examiner, all of whom are supervised by subject specialists. Each examiner has a separate ID and password to log in to the system for marking the papers.

When students complete their exams, their papers are scanned by the operation team and are then entered into the system. The examiners are then assigned questions, explained the operations department manager Aqeel Farooq. Scanning all the answer sheets takes around 15 days but the e-markers do not wait for all the papers to be scanned before beginning the e-marking, he said, adding that AKU-EB uses scanning machines, which have the capacity to scan 50 papers per minute.

Kanwal explained that each examiner only checks a single question on each paper. The e-marking software has eight options for examiners to choose – marked, parked, remarked, rescan, reviewed, unmarked, verified and escalate. The examiner can check and verify the answers via the answer key saved in the software, she explained.

After marking the question, the examiner will save it as ‘marked’ but if there is any confusion and the examiner needs more time to check the answer they can ‘park’ the question. If the examiner has any conceptual confusion and is having problems in marking the question, they can ‘escalate’ it to the senior examiner and can also add comments in the message box. Likewise, other options include rescan, in which the answer sheet can be sent to the operations department if the scanned picture is not clear enough.

Associate assessment director Dr Naveed Yousuf explained that the examiner cannot be involved in any biased checking. Each paper is checked by 10 different teachers, as each examiner just marks one question. “The e-marking team is divided into groups; five people are assigned to only check question number one, while another five are assigned for question number two,” he explained.

“We mostly invite teachers for e-marking who are associated with the schools affiliated with us, however, there are also some who are not affiliated with us but have vast experience in the field of teaching,” said Dr Yousuf.

AKU-EB provides good quality and transparency at subsidised rates for students so that they do not have to bear the cost of ‘good examination systems’. “Students have access to an international-level facility at subsidised rates, while we bear around 66% of the cost,” shared Jeeva.

On whether AKU-EB can accommodate the students of Karachi board, Dr Jeeva said they will need more e-markers, more stations and bigger servers to make this happen. Their system is only enough for the 9,000 students they are currently serving.

Dr Yousuf said they will be launching self-assessment software from next year, where students will be given log in IDs and passwords and can assess their own answers for particular chapters, topics and subjects. “Students can get an idea of how prepared they are for examinations using this programme,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2016.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1119606/lev ... m-marking/
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Why Female Education Matters: Girls Consistently Make Pakistan Proud!

July 13, 2016

​The Aga Khan University Examination Board has announced results for its Secondary and Higher Secondary School Certifications for the May 2016 examination session. This year, the Examination Board assessed students in 95 subjects across 23 cities in Pakistan.

“The AKU-EB team congratulates all candidates for their hard work. We at AKU-EB strive to develop higher order cognitive skills such as critical thinking in our students and firmly believe that, assessment is a driving force for new ways of learning. We strive to provide access to a qualification of the highest quality to the remotest parts of the country and to marginalized groups, and we are honored to say that our hard work pays off when our students make us proud through their performance. Congratulations to all once again!” – Dr. Shehzad Jeeva (Director, AKU-EB)

The overall passing rate for SSC Part I has been 85.5% with 46.7% of candidates scoring ‘A’ grade and above. Meanwhile, the overall passing rate for SSC Part II was 88.8% with 55.6% of candidates obtaining ‘A’ grade and above.

Alina Fatima from the Al-Murtaza School, Karachi and Hira Naz from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, Kuragh (Chitral, KPK) scored 93.36% and secured the first position for the Secondary School Certification (SSC). Alina also gained the second position in the elective subjects of the Science Group along with Ali Mehdi from IBA Community College, Khairpur.

“Although I was expecting good grades but it is really exciting to be an AKU-EB position holder from a remote area like Lutkoh, Chitral. I am aware that it is a challenge for females to get good education but I would like to thank my parents for their support and efforts. In the AKU-EB system we learn how to apply our learning in daily life which makes us confident about our knowledge. In the future I want to be a Neurologist. I am also eager to do philanthropic work in under privileged areas of country.” – Hira Naz

“The performance of my student Ms. Hira Naz has doubled my self-confidence, confidence on my team, students and parents. We highly appreciate the support and coordination from AKU-EB in every aspect. The trainings provided by AKU-EB are of high quality and prepare teachers for a higher level of teaching and learning.”- Bibi Sultana (Principal, Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, Kuragh (Chitral))

“AKU-EB has made wonderful efforts in raising the quality of education and assessment across the country. Getting the overall first position in SSC at the country level is a great achievement by Hira Naz which has made the Chitral proud. This is a great milestone achieved by a talented student form the remote area of Lutkoh, Chitral.” - Dr. Inayatullah Faizi (Educationist and Writer)

Ruhaina Nadeem from Nasra School (Malir Campus) secured the second position for SSC with a score of 93.18%. Shehla Tanveer from Maryam Siddiqa Girls Higher Secondary School, Chenab Nagar (Punjab) and Maryam Ihsan from Nusrat Jahan Academy Girls High School, Chanab Nagar (Pubjab), scored the third position in SSC with a score of 92.6%. Maryam also gained first position in the elective subjects of the Science Group.

Komal Fatima from Habib Girls’ School, Karachi, secured the first position in elective subjects of the Humanities Group secured first position in the electives of the SSC Science Group.

“I congratulate the entire AKU-EB team for their efforts in preparing our youth for a better tomorrow. The guidance and professional support provided by them to the teachers across disciplines is promoting a focused and meaningful teaching learning context. I would also like to congratulate the Class of 2016, their parents and teachers on the outstanding performance in AKU-EB’s SSC 2016 Examinations.” - Tasneem Shabbar Zaidi (Director, Al Murtaza School Network, Karachi)

The first position in the Higher Secondary School Certification (HSSC) has been secured by Areej Al Medinah from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Karimabad, Karachi. She did not only achieve the overall first position in HSSC with 91.63% but also gained second position in the elective subjects of the Pre-Engineering group.

“Gaining an education as a part of AKU-EB was a challenge in itself, but never a difficulty. With AKUEB's application, understanding and knowledge scheme discouraging the rote system, we have been successfully instilled with the ability to comprehend and tackle real life problems and issues. I am delighted to see females dominating the positions this year as well. We are definitely well prepared for higher education and for the betterment of Pakistan” - Areej Al Medinah

The second position holder for HSSC, Areeba Muhammad scored 91.36%. She also gained the first position in the elective subjects of the Pre-Engineering Group. Fatima Muhammad Asad from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Karimabad, Karachi secured the overall third position in HSSC with a score of 91.27%. She also stood third in the Pre-Medical elective subjects.

HSSC group-wise position holders for elective subjects include Duaa Ahmed from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Karimabad, Karachi and Mohammad Ghazanfar Sakrani from Habib Public School (Commerce), Areeba Altaf from Habib Girls School (Humanities), Abdul Manan from Nasir Higher Secondary School, Chenab Nagar (General Science) and Simran Kumari from Habib Girls School (Pre-Medical).

“Establishment of Higher Secondary Schools and introduction of AKU-EB has set a new milestone in the AKES,P journey. The quality of secondary school graduates from AKU-EB has been a real source of satisfaction and confidence for communities across Pakistan.” – Aien Shah (Head of Academics, Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan)

This year the passing rate for HSSC Part I is 86.6% with 45.1% candidates scoring ‘A’ grade and above. The passing rate for HSSC Part II is 84.5% with 47.5% candidates obtaining ‘A’ Grade and above.

“It is a well-known fact that assessment drives learning. The desired goal of education globally is the development of learners’ knowledge and skills to prepare them for the future and make them effective members of their society. Assessment practices introduced by AKU-EB aims to re-frame the current scenario that also contributes to the development of global citizens for Pakistan.” - Dr Naveed Yusuf (Associate Director Assessments, AKU-EB)

https://examinationboard.aku.edu/abouta ... 16-PR.aspx
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USAID, Aga Khan University to fight malnutrition 2016-07-26

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http://www.samaa.tv/pakistan/2016/07/us ... nutrition/

USAID, Aga Khan University join hands to fight malnutrition

July 26, 2016
By: Samaa Web Desk
Published in Pakistan

ARACHI: American Ambassador David Hale witnessed the signing of a partnership agreement between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Sindh Community Mobilization Program (CMP) and Aga Khan University’s Human Development Program.

According to a press release issued by US Consulate Karachi, the effort will support nutrition-related activities for children ages 5-9 in CMP schools in seven northern districts in Sindh and five towns in Karachi.

“Education plays a vital role in improving children’s health and nutrition,” said Ambassador Hale. “No nation can reach its full potential if its people are not healthy and educated,” he said.

As part of the USAID-funded Sindh Basic Education Program (SBEP) — in partnership with the Sindh Education and Literacy Department — CMP is linking schools and health facilities to fight malnutrition.

us-consulate1

CMP also screens children and creates awareness among parents regarding the benefits of improved nutrition. Malnutrition affects children’s ability to learn. In Sindh, the situation is most severe in districts affected by the 2010 floods.

USAID also awarded a grant to Aga Khan University to mainstream education for children with special needs and increase enrollment for girls in government and private schools. The effort is part of the “Let Girls Learn” initiative in Pakistan to ensure girls receive the education they deserve, announced by Michelle Obama and Maryam Nawaz Sharif at the White House in October 2015.

US Consul General Brian Heath, Sindh Health Director-General Hassan Murad Shah, Education and Literacy Department Curriculum Wing head Fouzia Khan, Aga Khan University Hospital CEO Hans Kedzierski, and AKU Medical College Dean Farhat Abbas attended. –Samaa
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AKU Institutional Repository

Welcome to eCommons

eCommons@AKU is a digital archive offering access to the research, scholarly output and publications of the Aga Khan University community. The objective is to preserve, promote and provide access to the University's research and publications under one umbrella, in full text wherever possible. eCommons@AKU is a service of the Aga Khan University Libraries.

http://ecommons.aku.edu/
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10th Health Sciences Research Assembly


"Health Sciences Research Assembly (HSRA) plays a significant role in dissemination and promotion of research within the AKU community. This avenue provides opportunity to researchers at AKU to showcase their research work that they have undertaken in the last one year. This is the 10th consecutive research assembly with emphasis on compliance on ethics in research; therefore this year only those research studies which had appropriate ethics clearance and those that ​were exempted from ethical clearance were allowed for submission..." Continue reading

https://www.aku.edu/events/hsra/Pages/home.aspx

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Sitara-i-Imtiaz conferred on Professor Ather Enam

Professor Syed Ather Enam, Chair of the Department of Surgery, at the Aga Khan University, was conferred the Sitara-i-Imtiaz – the third highest civilian award by the Government of Pakistan – for his achievements in the field of medicine by President Mamnoon Hussain.

https://www.aku.edu/news/Pages/News_Det ... EWS-000214

President of Pakistan honours Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta

President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain has conferred the Pride of Performance Award on Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta, Founding Director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health at the Aga Khan University, in recognition of his major contributions in the field of healthcare education.

https://www.aku.edu/news/Pages/News_Det ... EWS-000213
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First global analysis assesses United Nations’ SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) related to health

Expanded health coverage, greater access to family planning, and fewer deaths of newborns and children under the age of five are among several health improvements contributing to progress toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. However, hepatitis B, childhood obesity, violence and alcohol consumption have worsened, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study launched at a special event at the UN General Assembly in New York and published in The Lancet.

It is the first global analysis that assesses health-related SDGs in 188 countries by creating an overall index score on a scale of zero to 100. As a result, Iceland ranks the first at 85 with the United Kingdom and Canada among the top 10 at 82 and 81 respectively. Kenya scored 40, Tanzania 36 and Uganda 31. With a score of 26, Afghanistan is among the bottom 10; the Central African Republic being the lowest at 20.

Ranked at 149, Pakistan shares the score of 38 with Bangladesh and Mauritania – six places behind India and way behind Iran.

https://www.aku.edu/news/pages/News_Det ... EWS-000224
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MEDIA IN MUSLIM CONTEXTS: INVENTING AND REINVENTING IDENTITIES

Nov 3-4, 2016


The Aga Khan University’s Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (ISMC) and Graduate School of Media and Communications (GSMC) will be holding an academic conference entitled, Media in Muslim Contexts: Inventing and Reinventing Identities, at its London campus (210 Euston Road, NW1 2DA) on Nov 3-4, 2016.

http://www.aku.edu/ismc/research/activi ... texts.aspx


The international conference will bring together a broad and international range of researchers, policy-makers and practitioners, from a variety of disciplinary and geographical backgrounds. Keynote addresses and panels feature over 40 speakers addressing themes such as media and the invention of history; media and the nation; media as vehicles of resistance; iconoclasm and image wars, satire, the impact of new media and social media, studies of media in local contexts and media and youth culture. The conference is organized and hosted by the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations of The Aga Kh​an University at its campus in London, and is organised in cooperation with the University’s Graduate School of Media and Communications in Nairobi.

There is no registration fee but places are limited.

REGISTER online to attend the conference or join via WEBINAR (Day 1 and/or Day 2) if you are unable to attend in person.
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UCalgary / AKU nursing internship in Uganda

https://mobile.twitter.com/ucalgarynurs ... 5066613760
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Principals' Conference

Wednesday, October 19 at 8:45 AM - 5:00 PM in UTC+05


Karachi


Details


Initiated by the Aga Khan University Examination Board with support from the Oxford University Press, the conference serves as a platform for educationists to deliberate on prevalent educational issues in Pakistan. The conference also provides an opportunity for networking amongst peers, building linkages, developing capacity and sharing best practices. This year’s conference aims to provide structured learning opportunities to Pakistan’s educational leadership which will assist them to gain insights into school improvement from an indigenous as well as a global perspective; additionally, to discuss methods to improve school leadership in order to promote better teaching and learning across the country.

More....

https://www.facebook.com/events/172890666473986/
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Experts discuss strategies for a more peaceful Pakistan

Experts in the field of medicine, business, the arts, and social policy highlighted a range of strategies to build peace and stability in Pakistan on the final day of the National Health Sciences Research Symposium, the Aga Khan University’s annual event on Sunday.

Neuroscience researchers and clinicians shared insights on how the mind and brain can contribute to, or take away from, individual and social peace while people from the arts and humanities narrated their efforts to introduce positive change in society and the process of overcoming challenges in their private and public lives.

Creative arts play a vital role in human development, from rehabilitative treatments for post traumatic stress disorder after violent incidents to programmes to treat mental illnesses noted Dr Saad Shafqat, Professor of Neurology at AKU while moderating the session on Art, Music, Literature and the Mind.

Actor and social worker Nadia Jamil described the performing arts as being one of the most empowering tools for social change. She explained how many societies were able to create powerful narratives that enabled them to unite their people and progress.

“I wish more Muslim societies picked up the pen rather than the sword in order to change the world around us. Art helps us connect with other people’s experiences and nurtures empathy. It makes us remember what came before us and enables us to spread positive messages for social good,” she added.

Nigeria-based psychiatrist Olayinka Omigbodun agreed about the idea of art for change. Television and theatre plays can be used to confront long standing traditions and stigmas in society and noted that the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood, is beginning to play an important role in shaping perceptions about mental health.

Jamal Shah, actor and director, while also talking about art as a vital outlet for society, spoke about how on an individual level each person faces inherent loneliness. Only by embarking on a creative journey can one fill this void and as one becomes self-aware the creativity that results can have an impact on the community and the world around them.

In another session on Mindfulness, Spirituality and the Human Condition, mental health experts discussed how to heal wounds in society. David Arthur, Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at AKU, spoke of the soothing impact that spirituality can have on the soul.

Dr Arthur mentioned that techniques such as mindfulness – the practice of making oneself aware of the present instead of being worried about the past and the future – can be very beneficial.

He said: “Don’t always be in a hurry. Be interested in every interaction and truly live in the moment. When you do this you’ll notice that everything you do is more enriching. We should all focus on experiencing the moment.”

Consultant psychiatrist Sarah Eagger, from the UK, agreed with Dr Arthur and mentioned the negative influence of stress in society on our individual wellbeing. Outlining coping strategies, she said: “We should try to return to the silence and peace that precede the stressful moment. People also tend to be very critical of themselves and others which is very harmful to society. Instead we should focus on being compassionate to ourselves and each other.”

In the session on Psychopathology of Violence and Terrorism, Dr Murad Khan, Professor of Psychiatry at AKU and moderator of the session, noted that violent incidents and terrorist attacks in Pakistan has led to many people being exposed to trauma and many families having to cope with the consequences of violence with little recourse to help.

Social activist Jibran Nasir noted that Pakistani society, over time, has become more violent and intolerant. Conflicts over political ideology, religious doctrine and regional separatism have spilled over into public space with the result that people have become increasingly concerned about their own safety and more indifferent to the plight of others. He stressed the importance of speaking out against injustice and of continuing the mission of those who had been silenced by violence.

When asked whether everyone should pursue political change through activism, he replied: “Be a good citizen first by paying your taxes and by abiding by the law. There is room for everyone to contribute to society but remember that society needs all kinds of people to prosper. Everyone shouldn’t aspire to becoming a political activist but they should do as much as they can to improve what is around them.”

At the conclusion of the conference, Dr Ayesha Mian, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at AKU said: “We’ve brought together experts from around the world to share their scientific and medical expertise. Sessions throughout the conference have led to new ideas and much excitement about the field of neuroscience which is important not only to every person’s health but has insights that can impact society as a whole.”

https://www.aku.edu/news/pages/News_Det ... EWS-000237
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Marleen Temmerman wint “Outstanding Female Scientist Award”

09/11/2016 om 23:01 | Bron: BELGA- Print- Corrigeer



Professor Marleen Temmerman heeft dinsdag de “Outstanding Female Scientist Award” gewonnen. Aan deze bekroning, die wordt toegekend door de European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), hangt een geldprijs van 20.000 euro. De EDCTP zet zich onder meer in voor de samenwerking tussen Afrika en Europa op het vlak van medisch onderzoek. De Belgische gynaecologe is sinds vorig jaar verbonden aan de Aga Khan-universiteit in de Keniaanse hoofdstad Nairobi.

De award wordt uitgereikt aan een “vrouwelijke onderzoekster van wereldklasse” die verblijft in Sub-Sahara-Afrika, luidt een verklaring woensdag. Temmerman kreeg de prijs dinsdag overhandigd in het Zambiaanse Lusaka.

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20161109_02565143

Google translate:

Professor Marleen Temmerman said Tuesday the "Outstanding Woman Scientist Award". At this award, which is awarded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), hangs a cash prize of 20,000 euros. The EDCTP puts itself in the cooperation between Africa and Europe in the field of medical research. The Belgian gynecologist is linked to the Aga Khan University in the Kenyan capital Nairobi since last year.

The award is presented to a "female researcher world" residing in Sub-Saharan Africa, says a statement Wednesday. Temmerman received the award Tuesday handed over the Zambian Lusaka.
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Maternal/child health project Umeed-e-Nau launched in 14 districts of Pakistan

The Aga Khan University and key government officials marked the launch of a major new project aimed at improving maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in Pakistan.

Funded by a US$25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Umeed-e-Nau (new hope) is a five-year project that will see AKU work with public sector programmes and primary care providers such as Lady Health Workers and Community Health Midwives to deliver proven interventions and improve the quality of c
"Umeed-e-Nau will test a variety of approaches in an effort to develop insights and evidence that can influence policy across the country and beyond its borders."
Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta
are at health facilities in 14 mainly rural districts in Balochistan, Southern Punjab and Sindh, as well as urban slums in Karachi.

The districts include Badin, Dadu, Hyderabad/Matiari, Karachi, Jafferabad, Jamshoro, Lasbela, Mirpur Khas, Muzaffargarh, Nasirabad, Qambar Shahdadkot, Rahim Yar Khan, Sanghar and Thatta. The project also includes a groundbreaking effort to provide health education through schools for adolescent girls in Pakistan.

More...
https://www.aku.edu/news/pages/News_Det ... EWS-000239

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International Conference for Nurses and Midwives

Inspire, Educate & Save live


November 18, 2016
9:00 am-5:30 pm | Karachi


School of Nursing and Midwifery

Theme:


Nurses & Midwives

Transforming Health Care Systems from Local to Global

Impetus for the Conference:


AKU-SONAM is planning to organize an International conference for Nurses and Midwives (ICNM) in Karachi, Pakistan, with following objectives:
•To reflect on the contribution of AKU-SONAM graduates to the profession and health care systems, organizations and institutions they serve.
•To exhibit the impact of nurses’, midwives’, faculty, graduate students’ and AKU-SONAM alumni in Transforming Health Care Systems from Local to Global
•To extend AKU-SONAM collaboration with nursing regulatory and professional education bodies to continue to make a difference in the profession within Pakistan and in the region.
•To acknowledge 35 years of accomplishment and build the future directions.

Duration:

November 17-18, 2016
*******
AKU-EB celebrates achievements of High Achievers 2016

One hundred and sixty-two students nationwide were recognized for their outstanding performance in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examinations, held by the Aga Khan University Examination Board, at their high achievers award ceremony in Karachi today.

A large number of parents, school principals and teachers were present at the ceremony to appreciate and encourage the high achievers.

"We are proud of our AKU-EB graduates, many of whom have successfully obtained admissions to renowned national and international universities. It is heartening to see the impact that the Examination Board is having on our society by being a model of excellence and innovation in education for Pakistan,” remarked Firoz Rasul, President AKU.

Girls topped the SSC examinations with the overall first position awarded to Alina Fatima from Al-Murtaza School, Karachi and Hira Naz from Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, Kuragh, Chitral. In second position was Ruhaina Nadeem from Nasra School, Karachi and the third position was awarded to Shehla Tanveer from Maryam Siddiqa Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Chiniot and Maryam Ihsan from Nusrat Jehan Academy Girls High School, Chiniot, Punjab.

More...
https://examinationboard.aku.edu/abouta ... -2016.aspx

******
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Aga Khan University partnership takes health services to EA mothers, children

The Aga Khan University (AKU) is working with 100 government health centres in Kenya and Tanzania to enhance healthcare access to half a million mothers and children.

AKU’s vice president in charge of Finance and the Chief Finance Officer, Mr Al-Karim Haji, said the exercise will include research to identify gaps in quality healthcare access enabling formulation of policies and mitigation measures for delivery of better services.

He said research findings will be shared among policy makers, the academia and management teams thereby enabling them to work together towards achieving UN sustainable development goals which include eradication of poverty, enhancing education, promoting development and healthcare access.

We have provided students with access to quality training, thanks to our partners Johnson and Johnson’s Corporate Citizenship Trust, the French Development Bank, Global Affairs Canada, the German Government and other supporters,” he said.

Mr Haji spoke when he addressed an inter-professional healthcare conference in Nairobi commemorating AKU’s 15-year partnership with Johnson and Johnson’s Corporate Citizenship Trust last week.

The Trust’s managing director Frank Welvaert hailed the partnership saying it had a long term impact on people’s lives across East Africa and urged for closer company working to fund programmes with far reaching impact on society.

“The challenges we face today are complex and you cannot solve them alone via your products or service, you need to partner with like-minded organisations that will share knowledge, learn from them and create a new way to solve the problems,” he said.

MOre...
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Aga- ... 72-x2vrfn/
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Pakistani nurses and midwives playing crucial role in achieving SDGs

https://www.aku.edu/news/pages/News_Det ... EWS-000245

Pakistan now has nurses with the advanced research and clinical skills needed to solve the root causes of poor health, gender inequality and under-development in society, said experts at the International Conference on Nurses and Midwives at the Aga Khan University.

Speakers at the two-day event Nurses and Midwives: Transforming Healthcare Systems from Local to Global noted that today’s nurses hold management positions in hospitals, lead research in community health initiatives across the country, advise on national and regional guidelines that shape curriculums, and conduct educational programmes that develop the next generation of nursing leaders.

Conference Chair Professor Rozina Karmaliani stated that the breadth and depth of skills held by today’s nurses and midwives are enabling Pakistan to secure the social determinants of health – the set of forces, norms and systems that shape the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age – which help meet the country’s commitments to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Many of the SDG commitments primarily concern women such as maternal mortality, infant mortality, gender equality and domestic violence, she added.

In her keynote speech Uncovering Voices, Empowering Women: The Key to Sustainable Development, Dr Afaf Meleis, Professor of Nursing and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, expanded on this idea. She explained how major targets under the SDGs placed an emphasis on women’s empowerment and how they are intimately related to nursing.

“There is a gender divide across the world that makes women socially, culturally and biologically at higher risk of morbidity, mortality and inferior quality of life. Unequal access to healthcare, unfairness in economic opportunities and the vulnerable status of many women in society opens up opportunities for nurses and midwives to support, educate and empower women throughout their lives,” said Professor Meleis.

Professor Meleis added that nurses and midwives are instrumental in supporting maternal and child health goals tied to SDG 3. Beyond their medical role, their work in communities makes them aware of economic and social challenges. This enables them to apply their education in public health research to investigate effective forms of health awareness and preventive strategies which support lifelong opportunities under SDGs 4 [access to quality education] and 10 [reducing inequalities]. By boosting awareness and access to healthcare, the profession impacts gender equality and economic prospects – SDGs 5 and 8 – leading to the stability and resilience of societies sought under SDGs 9, 11 and 16.

Highlighting strategies to strengthen the nursing and midwifery profession in Pakistan, Dr Arwa Oweis, from the World Health Organization, mentioned challenges in scaling up the health workforce and the importance of strengthening nursing and midwifery regulation, education and practice. This can be achieved by creating operational plans for existing strategies.

In line with the conference’s theme Transforming Healthcare Systems, organised on the 35th anniversary of the founding of AKU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery (SONAM), Pakistan’s first-ever university to offer an academic degree – rather than a diploma – in nursing, speakers also highlighted how nursing in Pakistan has been transformed over the last three decades and how the impact of developments in Pakistan extended across borders.

Commenting on how advanced education in nursing is enabling nurses to have a global impact, Professor Karmaliani pointed out that Pakistan’s first PhD nurse Yasmin Amarsi played a key role in introducing the first bachelor’s and master’s nursing curriculum in Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda that have produced over 6,000 degree and diploma holders.

Professor Karmaliani added that the current Dean of AKU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery in East Africa, Sharon Brownie, is advising the East Africa Community an intergovernmental body on harmonising nursing programmes across five nation states. Such programmes will introduce global benchmarks and standards into East African education and pave the way for nurses to work flexibly between countries. This will ultimately raise East Africa’s health indicators and help the region meet its promises under the Sustainable Development Goals, she added.


Dr David Arthur, Dean of SONAM in Pakistan, also emphasised the importance of developments in the midwifery profession. He said: “Educated midwives play a crucial role in improving the safety of deliveries. Midwives with degrees are more attuned to changes in a pregnant woman’s health, more experienced in dealing with the challenges of working in low-resource settings and more confident in making decisions on how to deal with complications. This is especially valuable in Pakistan which has inadequate rural healthcare facilities and poor ambulance services in remote areas.”

He also highlighted that AKU is working in collaboration with universities in several countries in Africa, Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia to add expertise from around the world into SONAM’s nursing curriculum. Globally, nursing education is responding to contemporary public health challenges from non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular illnesses and AKU is doing the same by introducing a master’s level nursing course focused on cardiology in 2017, Dr Arthur added.

AKU graduate Dr Rafat Jan, who is the first nurse-midwife to head the Pakistan Nursing Council (which determines curriculum requirements across Pakistan) and also leads the Midwifery Association of Pakistan, spoke about the Vision and Strategic Directions: Future of Pakistan’s Nurses and Midwives in her address.

Dr Jan said: “Adapting international guidelines into competency-based curriculums and introducing specialty education nurses enables nurses to be better skilled and more directly involved in acute and critical care. This is a benefit for patients and families who rely on nurses and daily caregivers to guide them through all stages of the challenging recovery process.”

The conference also covered a range of workshops, bringing together more than 500 nursing clinicians, researchers, educators, and leaders from across Pakistan. Sessions during the workshops highlighted the importance of e-learning, nurses’ role in rapid response situations to save lives as well as research developments in the spheres of healthcare policy, public health and hospital management.

Other speakers at the conference included chief guest Mahtab Akbar Rashidi, Member, Sindh Assembly; Firoz Rasul, President, Aga Khan University; and Hans Kedzierski, CEO, Aga Khan University Hospital.​

########


Karachi Convocation 2016

Awarding of degrees and diplomas to graduating students



November 19, 2016
10:30 pm | Karachi


Aga Khan University

Aga Khan University is holding its 29th Convocation in Pakistan. Around 400 students are expected to receive their degrees and diplomas for undergraduate and graduate level programmes offered at School of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical College and Institute for Educational Development in Pakistan and at the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations in United Kingdom.
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15 Years of Quality Nursing Education and Healthcare in East Africa

Coastweek-- The Aga Khan University (AKU), the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), the Johnson & Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust (Trust) and over 200 local and international health professionals kicked off a three-day conference focused on delivering quality health care in East Africa.

The conference, held at the Nairobi Safari Park Hotel, also celebrated the University’s 15 years in East Africa, and the 15-year partnership between AKU, AKDN and the Trust to enhance nursing education.

The conference addresses the need for systematic approaches to quality improvement across health care systems – from research to education, from community-based care to hospitals – and the impact that focusing on health systems and quality can have on achieving the targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr. Nicholas Muraguri, Principle Secretary of the Kenya Ministry of Health and Chief Guest at the conference launch, commended AKU and the AKDN for the immense contribution they have made to health, education and civil society institutions in East Africa. He urged them and their partners to continue collaborating with public health systems to achieve health for all.

More...
http://www.coastweek.com/3947-culture-03.htm
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Murad stresses for a broad-based, multidisciplinary education

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, on Saturday stressed the need and importance of a broad-based, multidisciplinary education to meet challanges facing the country.

Addressing as chief guest to the Aga Khan University (AKU) 29the convocation, he said "We need natural scientists and social scientists, writers and artists, entrepreneurs and public policy experts who can work across boundaries of all kind in order to start and lead progress in wide range of fields".

While praising the AKU's plans to invest in a new Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) in Karachi, he spoke of the social contribution that a liberal arts education can make.

"The FAS will fill a deep need within Pakistan for universities that create leaders who possess the critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills, an inquiring mind, breadth of knowledge and respect for all people needed to tackle the most complex challenges the country faces. This is the mission of the FAS and the government of Sindh encourages the AKU to make this a reality".

The chief minister also spoke of the "unyielding power" of their education to impact humanity and urged graduates to use their skills to address many issues in Pakistani society. "Be conscious of that power and use it to give the best to humanity", he added.

Firoz Rasul, President, AKU in his welcome address spoke about how we, as human beings, seek a higher purpose, a challenge that brings meaning to our lives, and that leaves a mark on the lives of others.

He mentioned that one great challenge is the Sustainable Development Goals that 193 countries, including Pakistan, have committed to by 2030.

"If Pakistan were to meet them, it would be a country transformed a place where no child suffers from hunger, every boy and girl is taught by well-qualified teachers, and all people have access to high-quality healthcare. At AKU, we are working to make that vision a reality, as an educator of leaders, a source of research that generates solutions to critical challenges and a provider of life-saving health care", Firoz Rasul stated.

Later, Aziza Jaffer Ali received the 2016 Best Graduate Award from the School of Nursing and Midwifery. She was also presented with the Nursing Practice Award given to the student whose clinical and community practice reflects a client-centered approach, distinctive critical thinking, problem solving abilities and ethical decision making.

The Medical College-2016 Best Graduate Award was presented to Dr Saneeha Shahid, for the highest aggregate score in the certifying examinations through the five-year MBBS degree programme.

http://www.brecorder.com/pakistan/gener ... ation.html

****
1,382 students awarded degrees at AKU convocation

http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/104800/


******
Kyrgyzstan – Regime Security and Foreign Policy
November 30, 2016
5:30 pm | London
Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations
Kyrgyzstan is an interesting example of a relatively weak state: for its brief period of independence it has already ousted two presidents, experienced two revolutions, survived two interethnic conflicts and yet remained intact.

This book explores this apparent paradox and argues that the schism between domestic and international dimensions of state and regime security is key to understanding the nature of Kyrgyz politics. The book also shows how the foreign policy links to the Manas Air Base. Used by the US military, the base was essential for supplying their forces in Afghanistan, the economic arrangements necessary for sustaining the base, both inside and outside Kyrgyzstan, and the myriad of different actors involved in all this, combined to overshadow points of friction to ensure stable continuance of the status quo. Overall, the book shows how broad geopolitical forces and complex local factors together have a huge impact on the formation of Kyrgyz foreign policy.

About the Speaker

Kemel Toktomushev is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Policy and Administration of the University of Central Asia. Kemel earned his PhD in Politics from the University of Exeter and his MSc degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics. He has extensive work experience in both Western and Central Asian environments, and his primary research interests focus on regime security, virtual politics, and informal political economy of Central Asia. Kemel is the author of the forthcoming book ‘Kyrgyzstan – Regime Security and Foreign Policy’ (UK: Routledge).

Registration

To attend the event in person please register here.

To attend the online webinar please register here.

https://www.aku.edu/events/Pages/event- ... ign+Policy
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Queen Elizabeth Scholars intern at the Aga Khan University in Uganda


"Queen Elizabeth Scholars intern abroad"

excerpts:
---
Khajeali and Capuno both spent the summer interning abroad as part of the prestigious Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship program (QES). Khajeali focused on maternal and neo-natal health during her internship at Aga Khan University in Uganda, while Capuno focused on improving the lives of those with disabilities in Ghana through urban planning and community development. Their experiences abroad as part of the QES program provided them with new opportunities they never would have imagined.
<snip>
Khajeali recently gave a presentation to students, faculty and staff with fellow QES intern Zeeyaan Somani about their experience during their nursing internship in Uganda. Their supervisor and mentor Shahirose Premji, associate professor, Faculty of Nursing, introduced the students, spoke on the importance of the QES program, and acknowledged the support of Graham McCaffrey, associate dean, Faculty of Nursing. Janaka Ruwanpura, vice-provost (international), was also in attendance to welcome the students and congratulate them on a successful completion of the program.
<snip>

Somani and Khajeali discussed their work in Uganda and what they learned while there. They both noted how inspired they were by the Ugandan nurses’ ability to give compassionate care despite the obstacles they faced with lack of supplies and resources.

“Aga Khan University has a long history of providing international interns an exceptional experience pivotal to their learning about global health and the social determinants of health,” says Premji. “The community engagement focus enables students to personally experience the potential impact they can have in making a difference in the lives of people from a local to global perspective.”

https://twitter.com/aswalli/status/806276993184632832
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PGME graduates ready to address threat of non-communicable diseases

An estimated 80 million Pakistanis suffer from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) today and another 8 million are forecast to be affected by 2025. A lack of exercise, a poor diet and bad habits such as consuming tobacco are some of the main factors to blame for these life-style related diseases in Pakistani society.

Treating these NCDs which include diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses, breathing disorders and common mental diseases, requires medical specialists with extensive practical experience.



These specialists are often the product of postgraduate medical education (PGME) programmes consisting of a one-year internship followed by up to 7 years of intensive study and practice in a specific area of medicine through residency followed by fellowship medical training.

Today, 186 specialists received their certificates in areas relevant to the treatment of NCDs such as cardiac surgery; diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism; pulmonary medicine; medical oncology and psychiatry at AKU’s 21st PGME graduation ceremony.

Speaking about how advanced education can help treat NCDs Dr Muneer Amanullah, PGME Interim Associate Dean and Associate Professor at AKU, explained that experiencing and studying all stages of a disease gives PGME graduates the judgment and confidence to treat complex NCDs.

More...
https://www.aku.edu/news/Pages/News_Det ... EWS-000608
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Insights into Muslim cultures

VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb_9Ihpg3k4
Published on Jan 4, 2017


Dr Sarah Savant, Associate Professor at AKU's Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations is using the latest technology to uncover unique patterns in ancient texts.

Welcome to KITAB

KITAB provides a digital tool-box and a forum for discussions about Arabic texts. We wish to empower users to explore Arabic texts in completely new ways and to expand the frontiers of knowledge about one of the world’s largest and most complex textual traditions.

We are leading with a tool that detects how authors copied previous works. Arabic authors frequently made use of past works, cutting them into pieces and reconstituting them to address their own outlooks and concerns. Now you can discover relationships between these texts and also the profoundly intertextual circulatory systems in which they sit.

The technology that powers KITAB is at the cutting edge of computer science and we are deeply indebted to our partners. Our first algorithm has been developed by David Smith of Northeastern University. We are also working with Marco Büchler of the Göttingen Centre for Digital Humanities. The Perseus Digital Library, led by Gregory Crane, has been a major collaborator from the start on many aspects of the project.

To use our corpus and search tools, please get in touch with us via our contact form. At present, we are a closed community of users. We are applying for funding that would allow us to bring our data and sources into the public domain.

Thank you for your interest in KITAB!.

Kind regards,
Sarah Bowen Savant

Principal Investigator
Knowledge, Information Technology, and the Arabic Book

http://kitab-project.org/kitab/About.jsp
Last edited by kmaherali on Tue Jan 17, 2017 6:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
kmaherali
Posts: 25106
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Saving children from preventable heart diseases

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s417RhhuceU

Published on Jan 5, 2017


The Aga Khan University is raising funds for children with Congenital Heart Disease through its Annual Golf Tournament held in Karachi. Dr Babar Hasan explains why AKU is a key player in this effort.
kmaherali
Posts: 25106
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Kidney support group promotes benefits of early transplants

Kidney patients now have a forum to share experiences for better living after the Aga Khan University Hospital formed a kidney transplant support group.

Aga Khan University Hospital Nephology Section head, Dr Ahmed Twahir, said the forum, to be held annually, was aimed at improving understanding of kidney ailments as well as the importance of embracing local kidney transplants.

He said kidney transplant was a more effective and cost effective treatment than dialysis that saw patients attend dialysis clinics throughout their lives.

The support group forum to be held annually will bring together kidney patients undergoing dialysis, patients awaiting transplant, kidney donors and recipients to share their experience and encourage each other.

More...
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Kidn ... index.html
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