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Aga Khan University
Hospital (AKUH) inaugurated its Bone Marrow Transplant Unit (BMT)
on April 30, marking the commencement of the facility with a symposium
on bone marrow transplant.
Speaking at the symposium,
the Chief Guest, Professor Masood Hameed Khan, Vice Chancellor of Dow Medical
College, observed that with today's inauguration there are now three BMT units
in Pakistan. "To meet the needs of the country, however, several more such units
are required. Only the wealthy can afford to travel abroad for treatment," he
noted. Professor Khan hoped the government would introduce legislation making
pre-marriage screening for thalassemia mandatory. He commended AKU for its efforts
towards "transforming the culture of medical treatment and education in Pakistan."
The
two-bedded BMT Unit is specially designed for a selected group of oncology and
haematology patients, offering services to patients suffering from benign and
malignant disorders such as aplastic anaemia, lymphoma, leukaemia and thalassemia.
AKUH is one of the few teaching hospitals in the world to be ISO 9001 certified,
combining high-quality clinical service with compassionate, ethical, accessible,
and individualistic patient care that meets the needs and expectations of its
patients. The Hospital's multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and care ensures
a continuum of safe and high-quality care for patients.
In his speech, Nadeem Mustafa
Khan, Director General and CEO of AKUH, identified "three key elements
in the provision of quality health care services: reaching out into the community
and improving access for patients, adopting a multidisciplinary approach that
integrates the Hospital's departments, and innovation. BMT, he said, is one
such example of a multidisciplinary and collaborative effort.
Professor Mohammad Khurshid,
Dean Medical College, AKU, expressed the hope that BMT would not just play a
service role "but also have an academic bearing in terms of both teaching and
research." Professor Wasim Jafri, Chairman, Department of Medicine, AKU, citing
the immense health care problems facing the country, underscored the need for
more transplant programmes. "A sound beginning has been made with BMT and I
hope that more transplant programmes will follow," he said. With the assistance
of visual aids, Khurshid Khowaja, Director Nursing Services, AKU-SON, outlined
the key activities of the Bone Marrow Task Force.
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