LAHORE: A four-member delegation from the University of Manitoba (UM), Canada, met with University of Health Sciences (UHS) pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Nadia Naseem and discussed potential collaboration in areas such as training health professionals, infectious disease control, diagnostic lab services, academic support and joint research programmes.

The delegation, led by Prof James Blanchard, Executive Director of UM Institute of Global Public Health (IGPH) and comprising IGPH Associate Director, Dr Faran Emmanual, Director Finance and Administration, Doris Kuzma and UM country coordinator Dr Tahira Ezra Reza also discussed other matters of mutual interest.

Prof Blanchard underscored Canada’s dedication to global public health, specifically in Pakistan. He highlighted key areas of partnership with the UHS including intensive training programmes for public health leaders through UHS, leveraging UM’s International Diagnostic Lab to develop new diagnostics for infectious diseases in Punjab, providing technical support to academic programmes at UHS, and initiating joint research ventures and degree programmes.

Two pivotal areas of partnership were proposed by Prof Blanchard, focusing on technical support and capacity building, including mentorship, for district health administrative staff in Punjab. This would specifically target data-driven decision-making, with a special emphasis on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH). The second proposal highlighted Punjab epidemic appraisal studies to better understand the transmission of infectious diseases and optimize control programmes.

Expressing keen interest, Prof Nadia Naseem emphasized the need for academic mentoring to enhance healthcare at the district level in Punjab, with a focus on evidence-based and community-driven programmes. She also stressed the necessity of a proper digital data registry for research purposes and the provision of primary healthcare facilities for the urban poor.

During the meeting, Prof Naseem highlighted UHS’s key achievements in the past year, including curriculum updates, a robust examination system, enhanced clinical training, faculty development, and infrastructure upgrades. These efforts align with the university’s goal of providing quality healthcare education and training that corresponds to emerging trends. Prof Sidra Saleem, UHS Director of Research and Development (R&D), was nominated as the focal person for collaborative efforts.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024