NUMS VC for international partnership in research for making vaccines, medicines

Rawalpindi:Vice Chancellor National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Lt Gen Muhammad Imran Majeed HI(M) called for forging international partnership in research with leading universities of the world for producing vaccines and medicines, specific to microbial strains found in Pakistan.

Research collaboration of Pakistani medical universities with international partners is the way forward in the medical field. NUMS is already collaborating with some universities in the UK, US, China, Malaysia and Turkey to promote research, he said in an FM Radio programme on medical education here.

He said phenomenal advances in information technology have given access to massive information to medical professionals but we need to learn from the world in research by building our partnership with their top universities.

Unlike the past, Pakistan now has specialised medical universities which should not remain confined only to awarding degrees rather should concentrate on research to solve the problems of our people.

Medical research is contextual and we could not solely depend on the research of others. NUMS VC said the medical knowledge is upgraded every month hence doctors need to constantly update their information.

Knowledge changes fast, so if we do not focus on research according to our own needs we will lag behind. Pakistan needs to train its medical practitioners in doing quality research to get the required results.

The definition of health by the World Health Organisation, is not merely absence of disease. Good health includes many other things, he added, emphasising on a holistic approach in the medical field, he called for setting up a Pakistan Health Commission which could supervise allied health institutes working in healthcare system including drug inspection.

If the private sector is not regulated it will be dangerous so it should be properly monitored while taking on board all the stakeholders, he said. Referring to the Chinese system of treatment, the vice chancellor said, during his visit to China, he realised there was a lot of depth in their knowledge base as they had done their own research.

After their diagnosis, patients in China are given the choice of either getting Western or Chinese treatment. He was told that generally 60 per cent opt for traditional Chinese medicines. The average age in China has increased over last two years which indicates success of their mode of treatment.