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School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan

Dean's Communiqué | Edition 26

Dear colleagues, students, and friends of AKU-SONAM,

The past quarter has been a roller-coaster ride for all of us at the School with the admission cycle, International Nurses and Midwives Day celebrations, online examinations, and the conclusion of another very happening semester. A lot of learning also took place with numerous workshops, partnerships, and conferences that our faculty and staff members organised or attended.

Having recently returned from a very fulfilling Hajj journey, I am grateful to all those who held the fort during my absence, especially Dr Rubina Barolia for her services as Acting Dean.

We bring to you this edition of the Dean’s Communique, which highlights a few glimpses of all we’ve been up to as we conclude the first half of 2024.

Happy reading!

Best wishes,

Dr Tazeen Saeed Ali

Interim Dean, AKU-SONAM

Celebrating Nurses & Midwives

We’re blessed to be living in the post-COVID era and our International Nurses & Midwives Day Conference this year was a reminder of just that. It was house-full at the AKU Auditorium and the energies this year were unmatched! A proud partnership between SONAM, PK and the Division of Nursing Services, AKUH, the event was a resounding success and a source of inspiration for all who attended. Congratulations to the organisers and a big thank you to all our speakers, participants, and attendees!

Pictures | Event Recording | AKU News | Dawn News

How do nurses and midwives impact the economy and the environment? Students, leaders, and faculty from SONAM and AKUH Pakistan and East Africa explain!

Brain Drain of Nursing in Pakistan | The Great Debate by Rabab Vadiwala

INMD Workshops

Every year in May, while we celebrate the work and role of nurses and midwives, we also make sure there are opportunities for them to grow, learn and excel at all the amazing work they do. A total of eight workshops were conducted as part of the INMD celebrations that saw full-house participation from nurses and midwives. The workshop themes included diverse and contemporary topics in healthcare academia, research, and practice. Grateful to expert facilitators from the School and Hospital side who volunteered to conduct these.

Rho Delta Anniversary

The Rho Delta Chapter of Sigma International began at AKU in 1994 as Pakistan’s first Honor Society of Nursing. This year Rho Delta celebrated its 24th anniversary and 23rd induction ceremony. The Chapter also named its next President, Sumia Andleeb Abbasi, a newly appointed Board of Directors, office bearers, and inducted 13 new student members. Congrats to all!

View Pictures

Curriculum Retreat

SONAM’s Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum Committee organised a retreat supported by advisors Dr Pammla Petrucka, Dr Khairulnissa Ajani, and alumna Dilshad Pirani. This focused on "Developing Competencies for a BScN Graduate." 45 faculty members came together to envision and explore international best practices to transform the curriculum into an outcome-based model, preparing graduates for evolving nursing demands globally.

View Pictures

Trainings & Talks

As part of a WHO-funded grant, SONAM proudly facilitated the capacity-building of 11 trainers, 13 breastfeeding counselors and 21 peer counselors to serve as community advocates for lactation and breastfeeding. The trainings are part of a study on nutrition management of infants under six months, led by PI, Dr Fyezah Jehan, Chair, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, and Co-PI, Zohra Kurji, Assistant Professor, AKU-SONAM. Proud to see SONAM as a part of inter-disciplinary teams working together for social impact.

The Culture, Health and Society Course at SONAM held a session on “Spiritual Harmony: The Intersection of Health, Healing and Culture” with guest speakers Muhammad Muneer Shah, scholar and sufi practitioner, and Dr Majeed Ullah Qadri, religious scholar and professor of geology. Faculty member Dr Huma Ghaffar moderated the session that gave our students exposure to the perceptions of healing in various cultures especially with relation to religion.

Samina Vertejee, assistant professor, AKU-SONAM, recently gave a talk on the topic of substance abuse and drugs to sixth graders and their parents in an event organised by the Aga Khan Health Board, Garden, in collaboration with the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board - ITREB. An important initiative for the right age group that raised awareness and answered questions for curious minds of the young audience.

Remembering Dr Paula Herberg

Dr Herberg led the School from 1988 to 1998 as Director, and played an instrumental role in SONAM’s development in its early years. She passed away on May 28, 2024, in her hometown in Idaho, USA. A memorable picture with her from 2005 - her last visit to Pakistan!

Here’s a trip down memory lane into some of her memorable moments at the School during her tenure.

Watch Dr Herberg’s recent interview given to our University Librarian team as part of their Oral History Project.

Congratulations to Dr Saleema Gulzar on winning the best oral presentation award at the conference ‘Healthy Futures: Preventing NCDs in Young Hearts & Minds' organised by AKU-CHS, where she shared her research on the importance of physical activity among adolescents.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, WEAAD, is celebrated globally on June 15 to mark awareness and encourage action against abuse of the ageing population. The School’s Geriatric & Palliative Care Clinical Stream ran a comprehensive campaign this year to raise awareness on what elder abuse is, how to identify it, and what to do about it. School leaders and experts in the field sent out meaningful messages to raise advocacy on this important topic.

Learn More

Student Spotlight

Online Exams

The School ended the Spring Semester with online exams for BScN Year 3 via UCAN. Despite challenges, I'm extremely proud of our undergraduate and exam teams for overcoming all odds and doing exceptional work as always in partnership with the Department for Educational Development.

The School partnered with its student body this quarter to organise SONAM Eat - an event intended to give the students, staff and faculty a much-needed break from the monotonous daily routine to enjoy great food, games and an exciting lucky draw!

The Tropical and Communicable Disease Course for BScN Year 3 used an inclusive learning approach on Malaria, featuring a student-led panel discussion. Students role-played as experts and journalists, discussing prevention and treatment. Kudos to our faculty members for ensuring learning never gets boring!

Our Post-RN BScN students organised a Health Gala for the Platinum Society residents in Garden West, partnering with the Platinum Health Board. The event was a huge success and promoted wellness with free healthcare services and activities, engaging over 150 residents. Grateful to our faculty members for mentoring the students.