Tag: (AKUH)

Karachi, December 09, 2021 (PPI-OT):Shavez, a two-year-old boy from Chiniot, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) at the age of 6 months. In this condition, patients experience muscle weakness, decreased muscle tone, limited mobility, breathing problems, delayed motor skills and scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and other serious health problems. Many children suffering from this condition do not survive beyond their second birthday.

This news devasted Shavez’s parents. His elder sister already had this condition, and they knew all too well what it meant for their child’s life. “Even though we had a daughter with the same condition, no doctor ever told us that the condition could occur again if we got pregnant”, said Liaqat Ali Ghauri, Shavez’s father.

SMA is a group of hereditary diseases that destroys motor neurons – nerve cells in the brain stem and spinal cord that control essential skeletal muscle activity such as speaking, walking, breathing, and swallowing, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy. Even though there is a lack of data to assess the prevalence of SMA in Pakistan, cousin marriages are the most common reason attributed for its occurrence. Global data suggests that 1 in 10,000 live births are affected by SMA with a carrier frequency of approximately 1 in 50.

Liaqat had done his research with his daughter and knew there were no treatment options available until 2019, when Novartis, a global pharmaceuticals company, developed a gene therapy drug to cure the condition. This medication had shown promising results for patients in the United States and Europe.

This is a new drug that only requires one dose to cure the disorder, but the cost of this drug is millions of dollars, making it out of reach for most people. Novartis developed a globally managed access programme to provide free-of-cost therapy to 100 patients a year to address this. Shavez was one such lucky patient, selected by Novartis to receive the drug and became the first such candidate in Pakistan.

Dr Salman Kirmani, Associate Professor and Chair, Division of Women and Child Health, at the Aga Khan University and his team, saw Shavez in June 2020, when he was one and a half years old, and applied for him to be part of Novartis’s Managed Access Program. Soon, they received the nomination for the drug. Dr Kirmani’s team spent the next six months training the staff, working with authorities to receive the medication, and running the necessary tests to assess if Shavez was fit to receive the drug.

Shavez was administered the drug one day before his second birthday. Since then, he has received regular consultations and has shown significant improvement. The doctors at AKUH are hopeful that they will continue to see further progress in the years to come.

“We found out about this drug in 2019, but we thought we would not receive it until much later. But then, we found out about the programme and were lucky enough to have received it. Ten months later, we see significant improvement in Shavez’s condition, and we will continue to provide life-long follow-up to monitor his health”, said Dr Salman Kirmani.

“I thought our lives had ended, but we were living in hopes that there might be a miracle and one of our babies would survive. And there we have it, Shavez is recovering day by day. It is all because of the hard work of the doctors, nurses and staff at the Aga Khan University Hospital. Allah has been very kind to us”, said Mrs Liaqat.

For Shavez’s treatment, in addition to the drug cost, his family needed financial support to cover other treatment costs. This they received from Aga Khan University Hospital’s Welfare Programme. The hospital is committed to providing access to quality healthcare, and in 2020, supported over 850,000 indigent patients with welfare and zakat worth PKR 300 crore. Shavez received free-of-cost care at AKUH, making it possible for him to get world-class quality care at no additional financial burden to his family.

For more information, contact:
Marketing and Communications,
The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi – 74800, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-111-911-911
Email: akuh.information@aku.edu
Website: https://hospitals.aku.edu/pakistan/

Karachi, November 19, 2021 (PPI-OT):​Men’s health is often neglected – shoved under the carpet of masculine strength and fortitude. This neglect invariably leads to health problems, often not limited to just physical, but also mental health issues. International Men’s Day on November 19 celebrates the contributions and achievements of men and is observed also to advocate for men’s physical and mental health. The Aga Khan University Hospital supports the cause to talk about and promote the importance of men’s health and wellbeing. The University Hospital offers tertiary care for common medical problems men face, and this year, is focusing on conversation around men’s mental health and prostate and testicular cancer.

Mental Health

Society’s expectations and traditional gender roles explain why men are less likely to discuss or seek help for their mental health problems. Gender stereotypes can be damaging and raise mental issues for men. Suicide is one of the most common reasons of death in men under the age of 50.

Research also suggests that men who can’t speak openly about their emotions may be less able to recognise symptoms of mental health problems in themselves and less likely to reach out for support.

According to Dr Nargis Asad, Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor Department of Psychiatry at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, the most common mental health issues men and boys suffer from include depression, bipolar illnesses, schizophrenia, neurodevelopmental disorders, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

“Cultural norms related to traditional masculine role puts men under immense stress; culture expects men to be strong, in control of emotions, and showing signs of distress or emotionality is akin to being weak. The role of a bread earner is also a strain, and asking women to help financially is again considered as unmanly,” says Dr Asad.

Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a gland in the urine passage which produces semen. Men in later years of life can develop cancer in the prostate gland. Unfortunately, there are no apparent signs of this disease in the early phase and there are no clear causes. However, an overall unhealthy lifestyle, tobacco use, and multiple sex partners are some general causes.

According to Professor and Section Head, Urology at Aga Khan University, Dr Hammad Ather, prostate cancer is the 13th most common type of cancer in Pakistan and 5th most common among men. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men over 60 years of age.

Asian men less likely to develop prostate cancer. Even men at greater risk due to age, race, or genetics can reduce their chances of developing this type of cancer by adopting healthy diets and lifestyles. However, early detection is in high-risk populations is the only way to receive early treatment. One of the risks besides genetic and race is a family member (father or brother) having prostate cancer.

“Prostate cancer is preventable by reducing fat intake, increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, green tea, soy, and avoiding charred meat,” says Dr Hammad.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer manifests itself as a hard lump in the testes and is often not associated with any pain. According to Dr Hammad, testicular cancer is not very common in Pakistan and ranks 28th in terms of frequency. Two in every 100,000 people are affected by this cancer.

“If testicular cancer is diagnosed in its initial stages, it can be treated by surgical removal of the testis followed by radiation and chemotherapy. This tumour responds very well to chemotherapy and is considered as the most responsive to chemotherapy.”

Family history of testicular cancer is also a risk factor, and it is advised to do testicular self-examination regularly to identify the disease early. This form of cancer is highly treatable, even when it has spread beyond the testicle. Depending on the type and stage of testicular cancer, you may receive one of several treatments or a combination.

To book an appointment, call: (021) 111 911 911 Or visit our website to request an appointment​.

For more information, contact:
Marketing and Communications,
The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi – 74800, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-111-911-911
Email: akuh.information@aku.edu
Website: https://hospitals.aku.edu/pakistan/

Karachi, October 27, 2021 (PPI-OT):​The Children’s Hospital at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, has launched a unique initiative, a mobile library, by the name of ‘Kitaab Gaari’ for its young patients. In commemoration of the launch, a ceremony was held at the hospital’s paediatric ward playground. The mobile library with more than 100 books was introduced by the Paediatrics and Child Health Service line at AKUH.

The train Kitaab Gaari will be stationed at the paediatric ward’s waiting area in front of the counter and daily move around the entire paediatric ward, distributing books to patients. The attendees of inauguration ceremony included Dr Shahid Shafi, CEO, AKUH, P, Dr Asim Belgaumi, Chief Medical Officer, Women and Child Health Divisional and Departmental Chairs, Service line team, faculty, nurses, students, and residents.

Addressing the attendees during the ceremony, Dr Shafi appreciated this unique and exciting initiative undertaken by the service line, which focused on the intellectual and mental growth of the young patients admitted to the ward. Dr Ali Faisal Saleem, Service Line Chief for Paediatrics and Child Health, explained the motivation behind the initiative, stating that, “Children get stressed out very quickly, and currently we have very few activities to engage them. Sometimes they remain hospitalised for more than 72 hours, which increases their stress and depression levels.”

Dr Ali Faisal clarified that this initiative is primarily for younger children, adding that the whole idea is to engage children and divert their minds towards healthy activities. Having different books such as stories, art, and activity books alleviate their stress levels and feel more comfortable.

“We conceived this idea and worked with our Design Office, who shaped up our idea into a sketch, after which our Civil and Grounds team transformed it into a reality with their toil,” the service line chief stated. The service line chief also lauded the efforts of the Nurse Manager for Children’s Hospital, Naureen Lalani and other members of the service line for their tireless efforts, and turning this idea into reality.

For more information, contact:
Marketing and Communications,
The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi – 74800, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-111-911-911
Email: akuh.information@aku.edu
Website: https://hospitals.aku.edu/pakistan/

Karachi, October 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Aga Khan University Hospital continued its support against breast cancer by arranging a ‘Pink Walk’ at the Main Campus. The purpose of the walk was to increase awareness of breast cancer in Pakistan. According to the statistics, one in every nine women is at a high risk of breast cancer. Even though the prevalence of breast cancer is high, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment show promising results for recovery.

“In Pakistan, the lack of awareness around the subject contributes to a high mortality rate, compared to global data. The growing rate of breast cancer poses an increased risk for the country. We are at the edge of a precipice; the actions we take from here will determine the outcome in the fight against breast cancer,” said Dr Om Prakash, General Surgeon and Service Line Chief, GI and Surgery.

Along with the staff, media celebrities and journalists joined hands with AKUH and pledged to increase awareness for breast cancer. “For us, every patient’s life is equally important, and timely detection helps us in providing the right care at the right time. Today, we are joined by journalists and celebrities to help us with spreading the message to more people,” remarked Dr Shahid Shafi, CEO, The Aga Khan University Hospitals, Pakistan.

Renowned celebrities and actors Ayesha Omar, Mariyam Nafees and Zhalay Sarhadi also pledged their support to the cause by leading the participants during the walk, which was held at the Sports and Rehabilitation Centre at the AKU Main Campus.

The event kicked off with a welcome address by Dr Shahid Shafi, CEO AKUH, P and Dr Om Parkash, General Surgeon and Service Line Chief of Gastrointestinal Medicine and Surgery. While the Pink Walk was the highlight of the evening, the Hospital’s breast surgeons and oncologists used this event to engage and educate the audience on the benefits of breast screening.

Consultant Breast Surgeon AKUH P, Dr Sana Zeeshan stated that early diagnosis and cure play an integral role in treating the disease. “We dedicate an entire month to spread awareness about breast cancer and mitigate the taboo surrounding the subject.”​

For more information, contact:
Marketing and Communications,
The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi – 74800, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-111-911-911
Email: akuh.information@aku.edu
Website: https://hospitals.aku.edu/pakistan/