IPH, VUP ink MoU to promote preventive healthcare

Collaboration will facilitate students and teachers in academia and capacity building

The Institute of Public Health (IPH) and Virtual University of Pakistan (VUP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday to promote preventive healthcare.

IPH Board of Management Chairperson and former Punjab governor Khalid Maqbool and VUP Rector Naseem Tariq signed the MoU. IPH Dean Dr Zarfishan Tahir and VUP Dean Dr Masroor Elahi Bashir also signed the documents.

The educational institutions will collaborate and facilitate each other's students, as well as teachers, in improving their academic qualifications, research, capacity building and training of the staff.

Addressing the ceremony, the former governor said that IPH is making efforts to promote preventive healthcare and spread the message amongst the public. “For this, the institute is extending cooperation with national as well as international universities.”

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The IPH dean said, “Students of both institutions will benefit from research and training in the public health sector.”

He stressed the need for educating the people and creating strong awareness regarding hygiene and preventive measures to build a healthy society.

The VUP rector said that the university has offered collaboration to the IPH to start joint ventures in research and education. The VUP dean said that the university has around 200,000 students which would be useful for spreading health messages. He added that there is a lack of cleanliness in the society and people often ignore hygienic practices.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2020.