Karachi, The Aga Khan University (AKU) held a significant Health-Tech Summit this week, which was graced by the presence of caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and other high-ranking government officials. Organized in partnership with AIM consulting, this two-day event served as a platform for health care and technology leaders from Pakistan and around the globe to discuss the transformative potential of technology in health care, particularly for the low-income populations.
According to The Aga Khan University, Prime Minister Kakar, in his address, acknowledged AKU’s role as a leader in education, research, healthcare delivery, and arts and sciences. He expressed his gratitude for being part of the health-Tech Summit and emphasized the need for a collective effort towards a healthier, technology-empowered future for Pakistan. The Prime Minister also recognized AKU as a national asset, highlighting its contributions during the pandemic and the floods, and the support it provided to government health care providers and policymakers.
AKU’s ongoing efforts include utilizing diverse technologies to enhance preventive and curative care. The university’s researchers are involved in developing gene-editing therapies for inherited blood disorders, using artificial intelligence to improve maternal and child health, implementing electronic health records systems in their hospitals in Nairobi and Karachi, and pioneering virtual reality for training health professionals in Pakistan. Furthermore, an award-winning mobile app developed by AKU is being extensively used by community health workers in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The Summit witnessed participation from notable figures including caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh Justice (R) Maqbool Baqar, caretaker Sindh Health Minister Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, and Lt. Gen. (R) Dr. Nigar Johar Khan, the first woman in Pakistan to reach the rank of lieutenant-general. The event also featured speakers like Harvard University CIO Klara Jelinkova, Tasleem Nimjee, former Chief Medical Innovation Officer at Humber River Health, and health-tech entrepreneur Khan M. Siddiqui, CEO of U.S.-based HOPPR and an AKU graduate. Other speakers and panelists included Dr. Jean-Pierre Auffret, Martin Roll, George Patsis, and Anatoly Motkin.
During his visit, Prime Minister Kakar engaged with AKU students from various programs, including the newly launched Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and viewed the University’s multimedia exhibition ‘A Transformative Vision’, which celebrates AKU’s 40-year journey. He concluded his address by commending the vision and generosity of His Highness the Aga Khan, emphasizing his belief in providing the best in health and education to the people of Pakistan.