The Aga Khan Maternal and Child Care Centre, Hyderabad

Established in 1989, the Aga Khan Maternal and Child Care Centre (AKMCCC), Hyderabad is part of the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS). The Centre is a 87-bed maternity facility offering quality, cost-effective and value added health care. Specialising in obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics, it is part of the AKHS international referral system with links to the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi .

Hospital services include:
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Paediatrics
• Triage services
• Diagnostic services
• Day care surgery services
• Vaccination
• Midwifery Training school

History
In 1956, the Aga Khan Health Service, Pakistan (AKHS,P) inaugurated its first Mother and Child Health Care Centre in Sultanabad. Two years later, the first maternity centre, the Aga Khan Maternity Home, Hyderabad, was established in Tilak Chari, Hyderabad.

The maternity home catered to high risk and complicated pregnancies with greater scope of services for qualitative obstetric and gynaecological care. After 22 years of maternity care services in Hyderabad, AKHSP began expanding. In 1989, His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the Aga Khan Maternal and Child Care and the Aga Khan Diagnostic Centre.

Milestones
1958	Aga Khan Maternity Home, Hyderabad established
1989	His Highness the Aga Khan, inaugurated the: • Maternal and Child Health Care Unit • Diagnostic Centre • Midwifery Training School
1990	Second Operating Theatre introduced
1995	Health Promotion Package introduced
1999	Adult Health Screening Programme introduced
	Induction of Surgical Services for Paediatrics and Women (other than Obstetrics)
2000	Initiation of Outreach Health Care Services in rural and urban areas
	Inauguration of Paediatrics Ward, Phototherapy, Minor Operation Theatre
	Induction of Cardiac Consultation and Exercise Tolerance Test (ETT) Services
	Introduction of Epidural Anaesthesia Services (painless deliveries)
2001	Training of RMO in Gynaecology /Obstetrics
2002	Training of RMO in Paediatrics Services
2003	Opening of Triage Services
	Social Franchising with Green Star Social Marketing Pakistan for Family Planning Services
2004	ISO 9001-2000 quality Management System Certification
2005	Day Care Surgeries

Nurse who cries and rejoices with the babies

Mary Mathenge, a nurse at the neonatal ICU at Aga Khan University Hospital, exudes confidence while at her workstation.

There is a hint of tranquillity along the corridor and inside the neonatal intensive care unit. An infant lies in an incubator as the two nurses present regularly attend to it.

Taking care of newborns is something Mary Mathenge, one of the nurses at the neonatal ICU at Aga Khan University Hospital, holds dear to her heart. She says she is more comfortable in the company of babies than adults.

“This is where babies are helped to relieve stress,” says Mrs Mathenge, clad in a green surgeon’s outfit.

For the past 20 years, she has cried and rejoiced with babies – and mothers as well.

The Aga Khan University Hospital is one of the two infirmaries in Africa which have neonatal ICU. Not much has been heard about such facility but Mrs Mathenge, led Lifestyle into having an inside feel.

Though she occasionally goes to the theatre to assist in delivery, most of the time she would be receiving babies after delivery and taking care of them. She has lost count of the number of babies who have gone though her hands but roughly puts the figure at 48,000.

Always happy

“Babies are the best you can deal with. I have that compassion and I am always happy at the end of the day that I have made a baby comfortable. I don’t do this just as a job and go home. I have an attachment to babies,” says Mrs Mathenge.

Babies too, she says, can get stress even on the first day and it is important to take good care of them.

And when you find her in the ICU room – even without any other nurse around – she would be talking to the baby as if she were speaking to an adult. From birth, she says, you are supposed to talk to the baby.

“When a baby is crying, it is just because of discomfort. You have to touch it. Babies get a lot of stress,” she says. “When you hold them, just touch them on the forehead. It helps in releasing anti-stress hormones and, when it is produced, they relax,” says Mrs Mathenge, adding that babies too respond to their names.

For babies who have not yet been named, she calls them by their mother’s names.

Start talking

When babies are small, she says, one must start talking to them because they learn to associate sounds. Even during pregnancy, mothers are encouraged to talk to their unborn babies by regularly touching the tummies.

As a young girl, Mathenge hardly contemplated working anywhere near a maternity ward.

Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi graduates 180 students

January 21, 2009

More than 180 students earned degrees in nursing and medicine Wednesday, when the Aga Khan University (AKU) held its fifth graduation ceremony in Nairobi.

University president Firoz Rasul, urged the group to give back to their home communities.

“Make an impact wherever you go, an impact that is reflective of the personal development, good friends and intellectual growth you gained at AKU.”

The chief guest, Mr Joseph Massaquoi of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), delivered a similar message. He asked the new graduates to remain in East Africa, calling the movement of health workers to developed countries a disappointing trend.

85 registered nurses received Bachelor of Science degrees, while 94 received special diplomas in either community health or emergency care.

They were all trained as part of AKU’s Advanced Nursing Studies Programme, which aims to improve the overall quality of nursing in East Africa.

The Aga Khan University - Karachi, Pakistan Hospital & Medical College

Located on 64 acres donated by the Government of Pakistan, the Aga Khan University was conceived in 1970 to address a shortage of trained medical personnel and to improve healthcare delivery throughout Pakistan. The complex incorporates state-of-the-art educational and medical technology, while demonstrating that a modern architectural solution should preserve the spirit of the culture. The initial campus, completed in 1985, provided approximately one million square feet of space for hospital, academic, and housing functions. In 1999, Payette revised and updated the master plan for a series of building and renovation projects over the next decade to include an ambulatory care building, a cardiac services building, expansion to the existing surgical suite, the women’s residences complex, an oncology building, and a clinical laboratory, and sports facilities.

The Aga Khan Hospital for Women and Children, Kharadar

The Aga Khan Hospital for Women and Children, Kharadar
was established on 15 April 1924 as a Maternity Home with the support of His Highness Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III and the philanthropic efforts of Vazir Bundeh Ali Kassim. The Maternity Home was originally named the Janbai Maternity Home after the mother of the founder, Mrs. Jan Bai Kassim.

With the introduction of an advanced general surgery unit for women, the maternity home now functions as a full-fledged hospital for women and children and has been renamed as the Aga Khan Hospital for Women and Children, Kharadar.

20th Aga Khan University Hospital convocation

November 18, 2007

74 nurses, 79 doctors graduate

Daily Times Pakistan

KARACHI: A school of finance should be set up at the Aga Khan University Hospital’s new faculty of Arts and Sciences, said State Bank of Pakistan Governor Dr Shamshad Akhter as the chief guest of the 20th convocation for 79 doctors and 74 nurses.

The chairman of the AKU board of trustees, Saidullah Khan Dehlavi, conferred the bachelor and post-graduate degrees to graduates registered with the MBBS, Nursing and Teachers Training programmes.

The 79 young doctors hail from different parts of the country including Malakand Agency, Abbotabad, Kohat, Jaranwala, Hyderabad, Gujrat, Thatta, Bahawal Nagar, Swat, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Rahimyar Khan and also from Malaysia.

This summer, the Aga Khan announced the founding of a new Faculty of Arts and Sciences in Arusha, Tanzania along with a second Faculty of Health Sciences in Nairobi, Kenya. This comes on the heels of the establishment of a Faculty of Arts and Sciences campus here in Pakistan, the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations in London, and another the Institute for Educational Development in Dar-es-Salaam. AKUH also continue to provide technical assistance in Afghanistan in nursing and to the French Medical Institute for Children in Kabul as well as for nursing education programmes in Syria and Egypt.

Daily Times Pakistan

Dr Akhtar mentioned that the Aga Khan Foundation recently acquired the second largest bank of the country i.e. Habib Bank Ltd. The AKUH annually serves 500,000 patients and annually produces 277 graduates. It delivers services to poor and middle-income groups – over Rs 1.6 billion has been disbursed to 300,000 needy patients since its inception.

Dr Akhter praised AKU for receiving five major research grants for its Pediatric Department, totaling US$7.8 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization programme amongst others.

Dr Akhtar said that according to the Medium-Term Development Framework 2005-2010, the country was facing an estimated shortage of 30,000 doctors. “Presently 117,973 doctors are registered with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and 24,000 nurses with the Pakistan Nursing Council,” she said. “The current output of medical graduates both in public and private medical colleges is around 5,000 per year and almost 5,000 nurses and midwives are awarded the three-year diploma annually.”

Professor Camer Vellani was awarded the “Distinguished University Professor Award” and the “Award of Distinction” went to Professor Richard Pring. Dr. Hammad Durrani and Dr. Farina Abrejo received the “Distinction in Thesis Award” and Shehnaz Shamsuddin Gillani the “Best Performance in Professional Licensure Examination Award”. The “Award for Nursing Practice” went to Asmita Amir Ali Maknojia, “Award for General Proficiency” to Femida Gillani, “Distinction in Dissertation Awards to Anthony Maina Gioko, Josephine Ahinyi Nyangaga, Mahi Parveen, Shabnam Sohail Khan, and the “Distinction in Course Work Award” to Shairose Irfan Jessani. app/ppi

The Agha Khan University

Aga Khan University is a big name in Pakistani Education sector specially in Karachi. Aga Khan University is operating all over the world including United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania. AKU can be called a medical university because Its major programs are in medical and nursing. I never visited AKU but feel like sharing some information about this Institute as till now I have only reviewed institutes from Lahore mostly. This is not gonna be my regular format review but just a piece of information for my readers especially from Karachi.

I was telling about AKU, got charter in 1983 AKU is a private institute which is run by Prince Karim Aga Khan, A personality who is so much famous and a well-known all over the world. Lets come back to University, since its incorporation AKU is providing state of the art teaching and research facilities to its students. AKU has Medical Colleges, Nursing Schools, Institute of Educational Development and a examination board.

Aga Khan University School of Nursing was the first academic component of AKU which was established in 1980. Since its establishment AKU-SON and trained more then 2000 nurses who meet international standards and are serving the Nation well. The school offer several programs including a 3-year diploma programme and Pakistan's first ever 4 year BScN and 2 year post RN BScN and MScN programme.



With a state of the art campus loaded with latest equipment AKU is running a Medical college which was established in 1983 with offers of 5 year bachelors program of Medicine and Surgery. Back in 1996 Aga Khan University introduces a Masters programme in Epidemiology and Bio statistics. At this time college is providing PhD in Health Sciences with independent research facilities and latest technology.

Having a strong Medical background AKU established a Hospital back in 1985 named as Aga Khan University Hospital. This is a non profit hospital which provide financial assistance to the its patients but for me this is a kind of experimental house for AKU's nursing and medical students as they can give practical practice to their students.

After gaining success in Medical field AKU jumps into the Development of Education by establishing Institute of Educational Development in 1990. This institute is started with an aim to promote educational system in Pakistan as well as in other under-developed countries of world. Institute offer both professional and non professional programmes including PhD and Masters programme.

Aga Khan Board remains in headlines for a long time for its conflicted courses and other unknown aspects but now it is operating both in Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary Certificate.

Another Institute of AKU is Institute of Study of Muslim Civilization but I am not mentioning it here because it only operates in UK. And here in this post I am only summarizing campuses located in Karachi and Hunza.