DUHS achieved excellence at national, int’l level: Azra

KARACHI: Provincial Health and Population Welfare Minister, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, said that Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) has not only achieved excellence at the provincial and national level but also at the international level in healthcare and medical research. Professor Muhammad Saeed Quraishy’s vision and dedication played a vital role in bringing the university to this level, says a Press release.
She made these remarks while addressing the 9th syndicate meeting of Dow University of Health Sciences. The meeting was attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Saeed Quraishy, Chairman of Sindh Higher Education Commission Professor Tariq Rafi, Vice-Chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University Professor Amjad Siraj Memon, Pro-Vice-Chancellors Professor Nazli Hussain and Professor Nighat Nisar, Registrar DUHS Dr. Ashar Afaq, Director Finance Zain-ul-Abideen Shah, Additional Director Finance Hamid Ali Shah, and several other faculty members.
Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho stated that research is the backbone of any healthcare institution. She expressed her pride as the Pro-Chancellor that our institution, faculty, and researchers are progressing in the field of Medical science, Not only our students and teachers reaching new heights in Medical sciences, but they are also taking up the challenges of the Society health issues. She reiterated her commitment to using the state-of-the-art infrastructure to provide healthcare facilities to patients through advanced technology.
She also congratulated the university on its improved ranking at the international level. DUHS has been ranked in the top 201-250 by Times Higher Education 2023 and Young University 2023 rankings. She emphasized that the university’s research articles published in international journals are receiving attention, and the university is aligned with its strategic plan for 2030 to achieve sustainable progress. The university is successfully achieving its goals for development.
Prof. M. Saeed Quraishy briefed the syndicate that, DUHS has made significant agreements and MoUs with both national and international institutions, including Queen Mary University of London, Manchester University, Toledo, and University of Maryland Medical Center. In the academic year 2022-23, DUHS has established 19 effective Collaborations in advanced healthcare and manufacturing services.
The university has initiated two new BS programs in public health and psychology, and diploma and multiple certificate courses including health informatics and etc. Prof. Mohammad Saeed Quraishy said that International Symposium on Medical Education and Radiology, Annual Dental Conference, and Biomedical Conference were organized by the university in 2023. He said that the university is internationally recognized as a green university.
Under the supervision of DUHS, the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital NIPA Chowrangi is being operated with funding from the Sindh Government. DUHS is working on various projects to enhance healthcare services for injured and trauma patients. With an allocation of 681 million rupees, Trauma Center BSL-2, Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, and PET-CT Scan facility for 200K cases annually are being established.
The session commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, and the Registrar, Dr. Ashar Afaq, had the privilege of recite from it.
Meanwhile, Provincial Health and Population Welfare Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho inaugurated the Plasma Exchange Unit Dr. Ruth K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. Vice-Chancellor DUHS, Professor Muhammad Saeed Quraishy was also present at the inauguration ceremony. This unit has been established in collaboration with the DUHS Class of 1998, and it will provide free services to the patients.
During the briefing, it was explained that Plasma Exchange is considered a safe and effective treatment for various neurological conditions and blood disorders. It also helps in reducing the severity of symptoms in these conditions. Plasma Exchange plays a significant role in treating Blood Disorders and reducing their symptoms, as well as providing assistance in organ transplants.
Up until the period of 2022-23, a total of 120 patients have benefited from Plasma Exchange. Each patient requires five sessions of Plasma Exchange, resulting in a total of 600 sessions. The cost of each session is 20,000 rupees. So far, one crore and sixty-five lakh rupees have been spent, and it is expected that this number will increase every year.
Plasma removal is a constant procedure that helps save lives, and its usage has rapidly increased, especially in recent times. Dr. Azra Pechuho stated that the most important and common neurological indication for Plasma Exchange is Guillain Barre Syndrome. Additionally, it can be used in other severe neurological emergencies such as Myasthenic crisis, new onset refractory status epilepticus, Autoimmune epilepsy, Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and fulminant Wilson’s disease. Some of these diseases have no treatment other than Plasma Exchange.