Islamabad, Mar 11: /DNA/ – Coordinator General COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary called on WHO country representative in Pakistan, Dr. Palitha Mahipala at the office of World Health Organization in Islamabad.
During the meeting Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary highlighted the role of COMSTECH in health, science, technology, higher education and climate in OIC member states. He said that OIC is a 2nd international organization after United Nations consisting of 57 member states from four continents.
Prof. Choudhary informed that COMSTECH is conducting about four training sessions monthly. These trainings/seminars/workshops are arranged for 57 countries including 22 countries located in WHO/EMRO region. Experts with international repute give lectures on different S&T fields including health sector.
Prof. Choudhary said that COMSTECH is deeply involved in capacity building of OIC states in the cutting edge fields of science and technology. He said that COMSTECH has established a network of virology institutions consisting on Biofarma Indonesia, Kayseri Erinyes University Turkey. NRC, Turkey Parexel, UAE and Pasteur Institute of Iran, NIH and ICCBS Pakistan.
Prof. Choudhary explored the avenues of COMSTECH WHO joint initiatives in the areas of disaster management, training in health sector, and primary diagnostic surveillance.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala appreciated the efforts of Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhry for capacity building of EMRO region including Pakistan in the field of healthcare. He said that WHO and COMSTECH can work together on telemedicine with respect to maternal and child health. He suggested that COMSTECH can initiate a programme of telemedicine for health, and can expand it to private sector for teleconsultation. Dr. Mahipala proposed that patient safety, research in primary healthcare and strengthening of operational research are the areas where both organizations can work together. It was also discussed that WHO (Pakistan) will work towards recognition of COMSTECH as WHO collaborating center in coming years. The resumption of COMSTECH-WHO/EMRO research grant programme which was started in 2004 was also discussed.
Both officials agreed to organize a five-day training course with joint collaboration of WHO, HSA and COMSTECH, in the last week of May 2022. It is pertinent to mention that Dr. Abdur Rashid, Consultant (Health Initiatives), COMSTECH was also present in meeting.
