It was the seventh of October, 1985, when Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) received its first patient. The young doctor who received the patient was Dr Farhat Abbas, who was assisted by Nurse Mehrunissa Bana and medical student Nadir Ali Syed. The patient recovered and was sent home shortly thereafter. 

Twenty years on, Dr Farhat Abbas, Medical Director and Associate Dean, AKU, has grey in his hair, but the twinkle in his eye has not dimmed. Dr Nadir Ali Syed, no longer the lanky medical student, is the Head of Neurology and Associate Dean, AKU, and Mehrunissa Bana, now Assistant Manager Ambulatory Services, AKUH, is as youthful as ever.

These three are only some of the thousands who have made AKUH the success it is today. The emergence of AKUH on Pakistan’s health care scene set the benchmark for quality health care and injected renewed vigour into the country’s previously floundering health sector. Since then, health care has taken giant steps forward and treatment and diagnostic facilities previously unheard of in Pakistan are now available to the common man, regardless of his ability to pay the full price.

To mark its 20th anniversary, the staff at 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.

“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 AKU President Shamsh Kassim-Lakha on this occasion. “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 said.

Mr Nadeem Mustafa Khan, Director General and CEO, AKUH, said that more than 1.3 million people hold a medical record number with AKUH while in the year 2005, nearly 1.5 million patients benefited from its services. Moreover, 432 residents were trained in 34 sub-specialties under the University’s Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) programme.

Mr Khan said that the Hospital also has a Patient Welfare Programme in place, which provides assistance to patients who are unable to afford the cost of their treatment. Seventy four per cent of all patients treated at AKUH belong to lower-to middle-income groups.

There are several other services that AKUH provides to patients to fulfil its role as a well rounded health care institution. Modern laboratory services are serving a large group of population, with 76 specimen collection units located in more than 30 cities of Pakistan. In 2005, AKUH added an Oncology Centre and state-of-the-art Laboratory Services to its ever widening range of services.

With the continued commitment and dedication of the University and the Hospital staff, employees and the senior leadership, the future is full of possibilities for excellence and achievement. We look forward to the next twenty years with excitement and anticipation.