AKU unveils plans to establish CVD intervention centres in rural Sindh

The Aga Khan University’s Centre for IMPACT for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Studies held an inception meeting where it laid out its research and development plans to combat the rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases, mostly in rural Sindh.

Prof Zainab Samad, chair of the Department of Medicine at AKU, who presided over the meeting, said, “While we may attribute the rising trends of CVDs in rural areas of Sindh to the increasing temperatures, lack of workplace safety, or dietary reasons, it’s also true that we have the capability to design healthcare frameworks to counter these trends.”

Sindh Health Secretary Rehan Iqbal Baloch shared his thoughts on the research and development plans, saying, “These research initiatives are vital to enhance community relations, especially in areas with limited infrastructural access. We appreciate the Aga Khan University’s efforts in reaching out to the marginalized communities across the board and raising awareness on intervention methods regarding cardiovascular diseases.”

The meeting shed light on a detailed research and development strategy aimed at establishing affordable and timely healthcare intervention approaches to address the potential risks of CVDs. Besides this, the research also outlines the demographics that may be more vulnerable to CVD-inducing factors.

“Schoolchildren are one area of the population with the highest risk of CVDs. Enabling timely healthcare access and public awareness may help curb these risks, and also stem the rise of other non-communicable diseases linked to cardiovascular health” said Prof Dr Salim Virani, vice provost research at the AKU.

The Centre for IMPACT work package at AKU, funded by NIHR in the United Kingdom, aims to identify the best multi-faceted approaches to eliminate cardiovascular emergencies in Sindh by combining previous research and healthcare intervention techniques.