Experts to draw innovative plans for healthcare

Participants discuss patient empowerment, therapeutic outcomes

ISLAMABAD: The two-day National Scientific Congress (NSC) commenced on Saturday to provide a forum for exchange of ideas, sharing experiences and making innovative plans to address health issues in the country.

More than 2,000 healthcare professionals, including fresh graduates, undergraduate and postgraduate students and consultants are attending the event, which is held in collaboration between Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University (STMU) and Shifa International Hospitals Ltd. (SIHL).

On the first day leading researchers, academicians, healthcare experts and technology players discussed opportunities and challenges faced by healthcare sector in Pakistan for sustained patient empowerment and therapeutic outcomes. Addressing the opening session, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Prof Dr Tariq Banuri applauded efforts of Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Shifa International Hospitals, Fauji Foundation Hospital and other stakeholders for organising NSC and providing support to the HEC to enhance quality and relevance of research in the country.

He asked for support from organisers of NSC to work for a multi-partner agreement to develop national research health agenda for which the HEC would provide funding. He added that research priorities for national research health agenda should focus on curative, preventive, local research and development of national data base.

STMU Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Iqbal said the healthcare industry was ideally placed to embrace innovations and emerging guidelines to address key medical needs and issues at national level.

He said key objectives of the NSC were to review and discuss the current state of innovation, research, challenges and opportunities in the health sector in Pakistan and to explore how national and international stakeholders could collaborate to use the NSC as an information hub to be utilised for further research.

"At NSC we are putting all possible efforts to enhance quality and efficiency of healthcare sector in Pakistan."

He said the vision of the congress encompassed innovation in medical research and practices, integration of new ideas and disciplines, and application of research outcomes to address our national issues.

The congress hosted parallel sessions on innovation revolving around the use of latest technologies like robotics, cyber knife, palliative care, digital health etc.

At the same time, subject authorities held discussions on the integration of different disciplines in order to improve healthcare.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2018.