International recognition: AKU’s Dr Bhutta receives award in health, life sciences

Turkish president presents Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta the 2015 International TÜBA Academy Prize

KARACHI: Researcher Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta has been presented a prestigious Turkish award, the 2015 International TÜBA Academy Prize, in health and life sciences, said a press statement issued by the Aga Khan University on Monday.

Dr Bhutta, the founding director of the Centre for Excellence in Women and Child Health at the Aga Khan University and the co-director of the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health in Toronto, received the award from Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey.



The annual TÜBA Academy prizes are presented by the Turkish Academy of Sciences in three categories to scientists with original and path-breaking works in their fields. Dr Bhutta received the award in recognition of his ground breaking research on mother and child health, and contributions to global health and policy.

“I accept this award with great humility, on behalf of many in my team who have worked hard over the years to uphold the vision and mission of the Aga Khan University in supporting research and scholarship to address the lives of poor and marginalised women and children,” said Dr Bhutta.

“The fact that it comes from Turkey, a leader in science and research in the Islamic world, based on the nomination from the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, makes it all the more rewarding,” he added.



Other two recipients of TÜBA Academy Prize included Niyazi Serdar Sarıçiftçi of Linz Johannes Kepler University in basic and engineering sciences, and Mehmet Genç of Istanbul Şehir University in social sciences and humanities.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2015.