Day: September 14, 2022

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First intraoperative MRI in Pakistan conducted at Aga Khan University

Karachi, September 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):Pakistan became the first country to successfully use Hyperfine’s Swoop portable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system during a surgical operation at Aga Khan University (AKU). This is the first time an intraoperative MRI has been conducted in Pakistan, and the first time globally that the Swoop system has been used in this capacity.

In 2021, the Swoop system was acquired by AKU as part of the MUMTA Trial funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with Dr Fyezah Jehan as Principal Investigator. This research study utilised the portable MRI system to assess brain development of babies at their bedside, investigating the extent to which nutritional supplements given to pregnant women affected the brains of new-borns and infants.

Intraoperative use of MRIs has long been unattainable for low-and-middle income countries, with Dr Ather Enam, a leading neurosurgeon at AKU, describing it as a “divide between the haves and have-nots, between developed nations and developing nations.” Globally, this technology is associated with high costs, space utilisation issues and specialised training needs.

Intraoperative MRIs are widely sought-after as they enable neurosurgeons to see areas of the brain that are not visible to the naked eye during surgical procedures; after the removal of a tumour, the surgeon can immediately take an MRI to gauge if there is a significant residual portion of the tumour and if so, the surgeon can continue removing the tumour all while the wound remains sterile and the patient remains under anaesthesia.

“With its small footprint, low cost, easy mobility, user-friendliness and low magnetic field (0.064 Tesla), Hyperfine’s MRI has broken the barrier between high-income countries and LMICs in their provision of top-quality patient care for improved health outcomes” shared Dr Enam.

In this specific case, a middle-aged male had a pituitary adenoma that was also impacting his eyesight. With no other treatment options, the patient had to undergo brain surgery. Upon removal of the tumour, the operative team utilised the Swoop system and were satisfied to note that there were no complications. The system allowed the surgeons to confidently make this decision and in doing so, reduced the risk to the patient.

AKU alumnus Dr Khan Siddiqui, MBBS Class of 1996, who is currently Hyperfine’s chief medical officer and chief strategy officer shares “We are excited to see AKU advancing the science of ultra-low-field MRI and helping to support our global health mission of improving global access to the diagnostic benefits of MR neuroimaging”.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

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Renowned Economist, Dr. Reza Baqir Shares Insights into Pakistan’s Economic Trajectory 

Lahore, September 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):The LUMS community enjoyed an insightful conversation with Dr. Reza Baqir on September 7. A former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (2019 to 2022), Dr. Baqir delivered a talk about the country’s economic health and the role that institutions can play in its development.

He was welcomed by the University’s leadership, including Mr. Abdul Razzak Dawood, Pro Chancellor; Rector, Mr. Shahid Hussain; Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, and Ms. Nuzhat Kamran, Director, Office of Advancement. In his illustrious career, Dr. Baqir has held senior country and policy positions at the IMF based in Washington, Egypt, and the Philippines. He is a Harvard University graduate and has a PhD in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

As Governor of the State Bank, Dr. Baqir led Pakistan’s financial crisis management and economic response during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also successfully negotiated a new IMF programme in June 2019 and launched several new initiatives to digitise Pakistan’s financial sector to promote innovation and inclusion. As a result of those efforts, total digital transactions in the country grew 45% in 2021 to reach USD 650 billion, exceeding the GDP of Pakistan.

Digitisation is a core value at the State Bank, explained Dr. Baqir, and there are several innovative initiatives in place to provide banking solutions. One such example is the Roshan Digital Account which facilitates cash transfers for millions of non-resident Pakistanis. He shared how this initiative simplified the process for people from overseas who want access to banking services in Pakistan, and does not require them to file tax returns.

Dr. Baqir also highlighted the role universities play in the economic trajectory of a nation. He recounted how during his time heading the IMF office in the Philippines, a country with striking parallels to Pakistan, a non-partisan plan was put into place by leading economists of the country. This plan, he explained, was led by a university in the Philippines. “The plan was not political and raised awareness among the public, which made it easier for the government to follow their recommendations. As a result, the Philippines prepaid all debts owed to the IMF and had an economic turnaround,” he said.

LUMS too, he explained, can play a vital role in Pakistan’s economic development. He explained, “Universities are a good launching pad for such an initiative as they are non-political spaces, where people focus on the pursuit of difficult questions. There is a great opportunity for people at LUMS to come together as a non-partisan group with experts on board and work on a few critical interventions.” The talk was followed by a candid question-and-answer session, where Dr. Baqir responded to queries from students and faculty.

For more information, contact:
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
D.H.A. Lahore Cantt. 54792
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35608000
Fax: +92-42-35725048
Website: www.lums.edu.pk

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3 in 5 people in Karachi do not read newspaper: Gallup and Gilani Pakistan

Islamabad, September 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):According to a survey conducted by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, more than half (66%) of Karachi’s population does not read the newspaper.

A representative sample of adult men and women from Karachi was asked the following question, “Do you read the newspaper?” In response to this question, 34% said ‘Yes’ while 66% said ‘No.’ The number of people who said ‘Yes’ increased as the level of education increased amongst the respondents with 67% Professionals/Doctors answering ‘Yes’ compared to only 18% of illiterate people. The number of people who read newspaper also increased with age, 31% of the people aged 18-23 read the newspaper while 35% of those aged 50+ read it.

Question: “Do you read the newspaper?”

For more information, contact:
Head Office,
Gallup Pakistan
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-8445080
Email: isb@gallup.com.pk, caf@gallup.com.pk
Website: www.gallup.com.pk