COVER STORY Pakistan Needs AKU Qualified Doctors and Nurses for their Competence, Character and Experience Says Chief Justice "Pakistan needs your competence, your character and your experience," said the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Irshad Hasan Khan, who was the chief guest at AKU's 14th Annual Convocation on November 3, 2001. Held for the first time at AKU Sports and Rehabilitation Centre, the Convocation event was unique as the first class of the BScN. programme graduated. It also included the faculty and students award ceremony that recognised faculty members for their outstanding teaching performances and students for their meritorious achievements. Full Story BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dehlavi Takes Over from Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan as Board Chairman After 16 years of exemplary leadership of the Board of Trustees, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan, stepped down as Chairman of the Board, in accordance with his wishes and with the approval of the Chancellor, His Highness the Aga Khan. While announcing Sahabzada Yaqub-Khan's retirement, the Chancellor was pleased to communicate the appointment  of  Saidullah Khan Dehlavi as the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Full Story PRESIDENT HONOURED French Government Honours AKU President for Contribution to Pakistan and Education President Jacques Chirac of France honoured the President of AKU, Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, by conferring the title of Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite (Officer of the National Order of Merit).  One of the highest civil awards of France, the title recognised Dr. Kassim-Lakha's "extraordinary eminent and meritorious services to the cause of education and improvement of mankind". Full Story MEDICAL COLLEGE Collaboration with University of Alabama for Study on Maternal and Child Survival in Pakistan The Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS), AKU, in partnership with University of Alabama (UAB), USA, is launching a series of studies aimed at improving maternal and child survival in Pakistan. This global initiative will contribute significantly to further strengthening the research capacity of CHS in particular and AKU in general. Full Story SCHOOL OF NURSING Pakistan's First MScN. Programme Promises Greater Roles for Nurses AKUSON has been a trendsetter of nursing education in Pakistan. It was the first to provide the post RN BScN. and four-year BScN. degree programmes. Today, the School is continuing its leadership role by initiating Pakistan's first Master of Science in Nursing (MScN.) programme in October 2001.Full Story New Zealand ODA Provides Rs. 2.6 m Scholarships to AKUSON Students The New Zealand Overseas Development Assistance (NZODA) has provided Aga Khan University School of Nursing (AKUSON) sponsorships worth Rs. 2.6 million for 11 nursing students from the preparatory Track I programme leading to Diploma in Nursing. Full Story INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Advanced Diploma in School Management Award Ceremony Twenty-six teachers and headteachers from public, private and Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) school systems were awarded Advanced Diploma in School Management (ADISM) at a certificate distribution ceremony held at AKU in August 2001. Full Story UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL Stroke Unit Becomes Operational Responding to research studies suggesting that the presence of stroke units in hospitals reduce deaths and improve the care of stroke patients, AKUH started a new stroke unit in September 2001 as part of a comprehensive stroke programme for providing timely care to stroke patients. Full Story Caring for the Heart: Cardiac Care Services Surpass Expectations The World Health Organization recognises heart disease as the leading cause of death worldwide. Over the last half-century, the medical profession has responded to this enormous global burden by making great strides in the care and treatment of heart patients. Expectations from cardiac care services at AKUH have been far surpassed, with the Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery programmes emerging as a leading referral centre for patients throughout Pakistan. Full Story SYMPOSIUMS AND WORKSHOPS Experts Discuss Challenges and Breakthroughs in Oncology Worldwide efforts towards battling cancer received an impetus in September 2001, when eminent national and international speakers gathered at AKU's seventh National Symposium in Karachi, to share knowledge and discuss ways to alleviate the suffering of oncology patients. Full Story Bioethics Workshop Proposes National Ethical Guidelines for Human Research The Ethical Review Committee and the Bioethics Group of AKU organised an international workshop on 'Ethical Issues of Health Research in Developing Countries' in July 2001. This was the first workshop of its kind in Pakistan and it marked a very important national and regional initiative towards the development, improvement and strengthening of the capacity and quality of ethical review process for research involving human subjects in the country and the region. Full Story INTERVIEW Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed: Professor of Surgery Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed joined AKU in 1984 as Associate Professor of Surgery, becoming a Professor in 1989. Since 1995, he has been appointed the Hassanali Sajan Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery. A renowned surgeon, teacher, academic administrator and clinical scientist, he is one of those gifted individuals who are able to excel in all areas of modern academic medicine. Full Story FACULTY AWARDS Faculty Receives Prestigious Civil Awards for Research Dr. Sheikh Arshad Saeed, the Abdulaziz Hussainali Shariff Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, received the most prestigious and highest civil award, Hilal-e-Imtiaz. Full Story Dr. Mohammad Perwaiz Iqbal, Professor in the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at AKU, was decorated with one of the highest civilian awards, the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, by the Government of Pakistan this year. Full Story VISITORS ON CAMPUS Kazakhstan Delegation Visits AKU A high-level parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Kazakhstan visited AKU in August 2001, as part of a three-day visit to Pakistan at the invitation of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Full Story PATIENT WELFARE Patient Welfare Amjad lives with his eight children, in a joint family of 24, in Mangopir, a suburb of Karachi. A milkman by profession, he and his brother together earn about Rs.10,000 (US $162) per month to support their families. When Amjad was diagnosed with periodic hypokalemic paralysis, he was left with very little hope of recovery, as he knew that his limited income would not allow him to go for treatment. Full Story