Two young researchers from medical institutions in Karachi and Kohat have managed to secure grants for conducting research in the area of orthopaedics while more researchers are being encouraged to apply for research grants to find local solutions of orthopedic issues faced by the Pakistani population, officials said on Saturday.
Dr Tauseef Raza from the Institute of Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University Kohat and Dr Sobiya Aziz from the Liaquat National Hospital Karachi were among the 10 researchers who presented their research proposals at the launch ceremony of the Research Startup Challenge on the concluding day of 36th International Pakistan Orthocon 2023 in Karachi.
Both the researchers were selected by a jury of senior professors of orthopaedics while most of the young orthopaedic consultants and postgraduate trainees failed to impress the jury.
“A majority of orthopaedic consultants and postgraduate trainees did not come up with viable and workable research projects while most of them failed to defend their thesis. We need quality research at our healthcare institutions and medical universities so that people could benefit from it,” said senior orthopaedic surgeon Prof Khaleeque Ahmed Siddiqui.
The two researchers, who improved their proposals in accordance with the guidance from their supervisors, would receive a grant of Rs250,000 each to conduct research. The others candidates were asked to get their proposals improved to become eligible for the research grant.
Orthopaedic consultants and postgraduate trainees from public and private healthcare institutions from different cities of Pakistan, including Kohat, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad and Karachi, had submitted their research proposals for getting hundreds of thousands of rupees as research grants.
The multi-million rupee project is an initiative of the Pharmevo Research Forum to promote research in medical and health sciences. Young researchers and healthcare professionals in the field of orthopaedics across the country were asked to submit research proposals for securing research grant.
The jury comprised senior health professionals including Prof Siddiqui, Prof Ghulam Mehboob, Prof Ayaz Khan from Peshawar, Prof Asadullah Makhdoom from Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, and Umaimah Muzammil from the PRF.
The project intends to award several research grants so that young researchers could identify the areas that need immediate government attention and policymaking, and come up with innovative ideas of providing high-quality and low-cost treatment to the people of Pakistan.
Senior orthopaedic consultants regret that the authorities, which were expected and supposed to give go-ahead for the clinical trials and research in the field of medicine, had actually emerged as a key hurdle in approving research projects and they themselves did not have enough qualified people to make such decisions in a timely manner.
Speaking at the Orthocon, Umaimah Muzammil from the Pharmevo Research Forum said the Research Startup Challenge offered a unique platform for young orthopaedic professionals to present their research proposals and compete for the opportunity to secure research grants to advance their projects. “With this initiative, our aim is to nurture a culture of research and innovation within the orthopaedic community in Pakistan,” she added.
