Country exposed to major problems of health care needs to initiate serious and relevant research studies on regular basis to help formulate pragmatic public health policy.
Significance of the very fact was highlighted at the Fifth Annual Research Meeting, 2006, organised by the Department of Medicine of Aga Khan University (AKU), in keeping with the University's tradition set in 2002.
An AKU press release issued here on Tuesday said Dr Wasim Jafri, chairman, Medicine Department of AKU while addressing the moot said that all out efforts are being made to conduct research that is relevant to the needs of Pakistan and that the department has managed to produce over 350 manuscripts published in leading journals.
AKU President Firoz Rasul, in his inaugural speech, emphasised the central importance that research carries at the University and its commitment to fund research efforts of the faculty. Based on these research findings, the Department of Medicine has been able to advise the government in many areas of public health policy, he said.
Dr Wasim Jafri, supplementing the AKU president, said the faculty associated with the Department of Medicine are currently consulted by agencies and the government for health policy-making and other advice-related to their prominence in areas of research, which is relevant to or environment.
He claimed that faculty and residents associated with the Department of Medicine have been able to come forward with 120 abstracts of quality, relevance and impact were presented in 2005 only.
"During last five years, the department has consistently produced over 50 peers reviewed manuscripts in some of the finest journals of the world every year," said Dr Jafri.
On the occasion, speakers representing faculty and residents of respective sections made presentations on diverse topics varying from smoking habits of future physicians, allergens triggering respiratory allergic diseases in Sindh, safety and efficacy of endoscopy in acute myocardial infarction, cost of treatment of deliberate self harm at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan, treatment of Hepatitis C virus infection, the incidence of carotid disease in local stroke patients and incidence of insulin resistance in women of reproductive age with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Dr Asif Imam, in his research study presented during the retreat, said the frequency of sensitisation to one or more allergens was seen in 64 percent patients attending the AKU allergy clinic.
Allergy cause due to dust, mite and cockroaches caused more than 55 percent of all respiratory allergic diseases, he said.
A number of patients with acute myocardial infarction can develop gastro-intestinal bleeding, claimed Dr Khalid Mumtaz mentioning that the procedure of upper endoscopy was found to be safe in a diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal hemorrhage in such patients.
Fatty liver develops in a significant number of patients with chronic Hepatitis C genotype 3 virus infection, but does not seem to effect the sustained response to treatment, reported Dr Shahid Rasool.
Dr Faheem Jafry of the Cardiology Department found striking gaps in the knowledge about coronary heart disease, its risks factors and symptoms in the general Pakistani population. This was in a situation when knowledge about coronary heart disease and its risk factors are identified to be an important pre-requisite for behavioral changes leading towards prevention.
A review of all medical deaths at a tertiary care hospital by Dr Mohammad Tari showed that a significant number of deaths were witnessed in relatively younger patients due to septicemia. The patients who died due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes were older as compared to those who died of gastrointestinal-hepatobiliary, septicemia-infections, neurological and malignant disorders. The overall mortality rate was comparable to some of the western mortality studies.
Prevalence of significant carotid artery disease in Pakistani patient population is low as compared to western population, as shown by Dr Mohammad Wasay from the Section of Neurology. Only six percent of patients had surgically correctable disease, however, more than 80 percent patients with significant, symptomatic carotid artery disease do not undergo surgery.
Majority of the patients presenting at the Emergency Department with deliberate self-harm were females with mostly overdose, this was discovered by Dr Mohamamd Shahid from the Emergency Medicine Section.
After initial treatment, majority of these patients left against medical advice because of financial constraints and fear of legal issues, the researcher said, adding that these patients were also at increased risk of repetition of episodes as well as suicides.
Following the presentations a booklet was also launched of the research publications of the faculty members of Medicine Department, AKU, from 2000-2005.