By: Shabir Hussain
Ex DGN Sindh
Karachi: In another significant step towards enhancing effective healthcare in Pakistan, The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) has unveiled the "AKU Manual of Clinical Practice Guidelines", designed to potentially improve healthcare outcomes for 21 million people in Pakistan.
Endorsed by the US-GRADE System, this pioneering work offers evidence-based recommendations and with potentials to prevent 280,000 deaths annually in Pakistan.
The unveiling of the Manual took place at a ceremonial launch on January 8, 2024, presided over by the Prime Minister Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at AKU's Campus in Karachi.
The briefing was given by Dr. Adil H. Haider, Dean, Medical & Professor of Surgery & Community Health Sciences at the Dean's Office.
The AKU's Manual of Clinical Practice Guidelines sets a new standard for healthcare excellence nationwide by providing uniform, evidence-based clinical guidelines for 140 of the most common diseases in Pakistan that cause disability and death with the most burden of disease in the national economy.
Developed in threadbare manner over the period of four years, the Manual integrates best global practices with local contexts. It mainly identifies a critical gap in Pakistan’s healthcare system. This Manual intends to be a milestone development in the standardization of clinical care across the country.
Dr. Adil Haider, Dean of AKU’s Medical College and Editor-in-Chief of the Manual, expressed the manual’s transformative vision as, "This manual is more than a guide; it is a movement to transform healthcare in Pakistan. It encompasses nearly 140 guidelines addressing the conditions seen in healthcare institutions in the country. This initiative is a giant leap toward ensuring that every patient receives high-quality care."
The Manual developed by of AKU’s Centre for Clinical Best Practices (CCBP) in collaboration with governmental partners, the U.S. GRADE Network, leading healthcare institutions, medical societies. The manual took benefit from the expertise of 25 members of the National Advisory Board and 19 members from AKU’s Advisory Board.
Key stakeholders include the Federal and Provincial Ministries of Health, Pakistan Armed Forces, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Pakistan Nursing Midwifery Council and other autonomous agencies.
Along with Dr. Adil, Dr Samar Fatima, Associate Director of CCMP, emphasized the Manual’s transformative potential for healthcare providers as, “The Manual’s evidence-based guidelines can ensure uniformity in treatment across the country, empowering physicians and allied health professionals to provide optimal and cost-effective care. It can play a pivotal role in achieving the goal of equitable healthcare access and high-quality patient care in Pakistan.”
Dr. Samar Fatima further told, "To ensure nationwide accessibility, the Manual is available for free as an App and on the AKU website for all the public and rivate institutions to benefit. The printed version, published by a local publisher, is available for a small fee".
As the First GRADE Center in South Asia, AKU reaffirms its leadership in evidence-based medical practices with this pivotal launch. The AKU Manual of Clinical Practice Guidelines represents a crucial step forward in improving patient outcomes and elevating the quality of healthcare throughout Pakistan.
Apart from Physician, Surgeons and Public Health Experts and Policy Makers the Dean of Nursing AKUSONAM Dr. Salima Vallani also attended the apex ceremony attended by Governor and CM Sindh.
#AKUH #HealthcareInnovation #ClinicalGuidelines #EvidenceBasedMedicine #HealthcarePakistan #PublicHealth #PatientCare #MedicalExcellence #StandardizedHealthcare #HealthReform
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