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| Federal Health Secretary expects paediatricians and researchers in developing Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Programme |
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Urdu Version
Mr. Anwar Mahmood, Federal Secretary of Health, speaking as chief guest at the concluding session of a Seminar on "Research-to-Policy Interface for Child Health and Nutrition in Pakistan", stated that "the government is keen to cooperate in sustaining the dialogue and implementing the emerging recommendations for improving the state of mothers and newborns in Pakistan." The Seminar, organised by the Department of Paediatrics at Aga Khan University (AKU) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), was held at the University's main campus on the August 16 and 17. It included speakers representing major health-related organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, Save the Children, as well as professionals and experts in child health, research and nutrition
The Seminar's theme stemmed from the contention that while medical research has the potential to answer and solve the nation's major health problems, it does not necessarily follow that research conducted in an academic setting automatically translates to corresponding changes in policies and ground realities.
Secretary Mahmood also noted the "far-reaching significance of the discussions" and referred to the government's own initiatives in developing the large Maternal, Newborn and Child Health programme. Concurring with the recommendations to scale-up interventions at community level and strengthening the health system, he said that he "looked forward for the cooperation of the national cadre of paediatricians and researchers in making this happen."
Earlier, Additional Secretary for Health, Government of Sindh, Mr. Manzoor Memon, chief guest for the inaugural session on August16, expressed "the strong hope that the forum, through focus and emphasis on translating good research into effective policy, will achieve its joint mission of improving the lives of mothers and children." He also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AKU on behalf of the Provincial Health Department, for cooperation in the field of maternal, newborn, and child health and appreciated the University's efforts in this regard.
In his keynote address, Dr. Abdul Ghaffar, from the Global Forum for Health Research in Geneva, outlined priority setting mechanisms and barriers for doing so for child health in Pakistan. Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta, Professor and Chair of Paediatrics at AKU, outlined in his presentation that neonatal problems, infectious diseases, and malnutrition were the major causes of childhood deaths in our country. He noted that careful epidemiological and interventional
research has provided feasible approaches to addressing these burdens, "but for action on the ground the research-policy link has to be made more robust." He also shared information from the Hala project where low-cost interventions through the LHW(spell out) program has significantly reduced newborn mortality in rural Sindh.
Other speakers included Dr Tamur Mueenuddin of the UNICEF and Dr Tabish Hazir of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad who outlined recent advances in the management of childhood pneumonia based on research in Pakistan. Dr. Anita Zaidi, a specialist in childhood infectious diseases at AKU, highlighted the key role played by infections in causing newborn deaths in Pakistan and other developing countries and the important role of preventive strategies such as safe-delivery and hand-washing by healthcare attendants.
Dr. Amanullah Khan from Save the Children (USA), and Dr. Nabeela Ali for PAIMAN discussed on-going efforts by their programmess to improve maternal and newborn survival in many districts. Dr. Qamaruddin Nizami from AKU gave an update on management of diarrhoea and stressed the importance of zinc supplementation and using a new type of oral rehydration fluid with less salt.
The Seminar was part of AKU's continued commitment to research and dissemination of information. The University appreciates that the endemic problems of a region beset with financial difficulties and low development indicators can be addressed only through relevant research focusing on producing low cost, accessible and innovative solutions.
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