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It was October 7, 1985, when Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) admitted
its first patient in Karachi. Twenty years down the line, AKUH has
become a trusted, high quality teaching hospital that offers health
care and teaching services not only nationally but also internationally.
To mark its 20th anniversary, AKUH chose the theme '20 Years of Healing'
and organised a week-long celebration from October 1 to 7, 2005, which
included public health awareness programmes and presentations on the
Hospital's services.
"Over the years, AKUH has had a direct impact on the quality of life
and health care facilities in Pakistan by providing an integrated
array of state-of-the-art medical services and training programmes,"
observed Shamsh Kassim-Lakha H.I., S.I., President, AKU. 'The first
teaching hospital in Pakistan to have achieved ISO 9001: 2000 certification,
AKUH combines high quality clinical service with compassionate, accessible
and individualistic patient care that meets the needs and expectations
of society," he added.
The Hospital has a Patient Welfare Programme in place, which reaches
out to the public by providing assistance to those patients who are
unable to afford the medical cost of their treatment. "74 per cent
of all patients treated at AKUH are from low- to middle-income areas.
Since the inception of this welfare programme in 1986, over Rs. 1.22
billion has been disbursed to more than 225,000 needy patients," said
Nadeem Mustafa Khan, Director General and CEO, AKUH.
Mr Khan informed that more than 1.3 million people hold a medical
record number with AKUH while in the current year 2005, nearly 1.5
million patients would benefit from its services. Moreover, 432 residents
have been trained in 34 sub-specialties under the Hospital's Postgraduate
Medical Education programme, he said.
As part of its outreach programme and societal commitment to create
awareness of early diagnosis and timely treatment, AKUH endeavours
to provide services that meet the needs of people and the requirements
of international standards of health care practice.
A large group of population is being served through modern laboratory
services, with 76 specimen collection units located in more than 30
cities of Pakistan. Within Karachi, AKUH operates 9 offsite integrated
medical services locations that include pharmacy services, laboratory
specimen collection units and family medicine services.
In order to promote education and health awareness amongst the society,
AKUH has also organised over 190 'Signs, Symptoms and Care' public
health awareness programmes in Karachi, Hyderabad and UAE, benefiting
more than 38,000 people.
Dr Jafar cautioned that these figures are alarming and that parents
should be made aware of these findings. She further said that control
of tobacco use would entail a multifaceted approach with involvement
at the individual, household, community, national, and policy level.
Tobacco advertisements and sales should be discouraged because our
vulnerable youth deserve protection from this dangerous addiction,
she stated.
AKU regularly holds seminars, symposiums and events to raise awareness
about health and education related issues which are of national importance
and interest.
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