His Excellency Abdul Razzak Al-Amiri, Director of Continuing Education Department of Health and Medical Services, Dubai, was the chief guest at the inaugural session of the four-day Leadership Development Course organized by Aga Khan University for Aga Khan Health Network, at Ramada Continental Hotel, on October 23, 2002.

AKDN is a group of private international development agencies, founded by His Highness the Aga Khan, which work in the developing countries of Asia and Africa. Aga Khan Foundation focuses on rural development, health, education, and the enhancement of non-governmental organizations. Its programmes include Aga Khan Rural Support programmes and Mountain Studies Development Support programme. Aga Khan Education Services operates more than 300 schools and advanced educational programmes at the pre-school, primary, secondary and higher secondary levels in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Tajikistan. Aga Khan Health Services, with 325 health centres, dispensaries, hospitals, diagnostic centres and community health outlets, is one of the most comprehensive non-profit health care systems in the developing world. Aga Khan Planning and Building Services provides material and technical assistance to many rural and urban areas in Asia and Africa. Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development works to strengthen the role of private sector in developing countries by promoting entrepreneurial activity and supporting private sector initiatives. The University of Central Asia, based in Khorog, Tajikistan, the world's first university dedicated exclusively to education and research on mountain regions and societies, is also part of the Network.

In an intensely competitive environment which creates a demand for greater awareness of clinical quality, health care organizations have become conscious of the need for their leaders to participate in high-level institutional decision-making. The objective is to train them to respond efficiently as well as  effectively to issues relating to staffing, academic programmes, operating and capital budgeting. Developed to address such concerns, the Leadership Development Course focused on providing health care leaders with an insight into the external challenges and the changes occurring in their institutions, provided them new perspectives on current and future issues, with an enhanced knowledge of relevant concepts and techniques in several key management disciplines, and highlighted new methods of analysing problems and managing change.

Seventy participants included senior doctors, nurses and health care managers. The conference had courses such as leadership and team building, institutional policy and strategies, financial management, human resources and change management and quality management.