About the Aga Khan University Hospitals' role in fighting COVID-19 in Pakistan
1) What did the leadership and experts at the Aga Khan University Hospital do before the outbreak of COVID-19 in Pakistan?
Our expert scientists and clinicians in public health, infectious diseases, emergency medicine, internal medicine, and family medicine began researching, studying, assessing and learning about the disease outbreak, first from China and then other countries as the disease spread there. This they used to prepare for the outbreak in Pakistan and make disease projections.
The hospital leadership, together with the academic and clinical experts, began proactively planning for the disease outbreak in Pakistan, collaborating with other leading international health organisations as well as sharing emerging knowledge and technical information with the Government Health Agencies in Pakistan.
2) What role did the Aga Khan University Hospital play when the first suspected case of COVID-19 surfaced?
- Our Clinical Laboratory Experts made the first PCR based testing kits for COVID-19 diagnosis available.
- We prepared and were ready to accept some of the first patients who tested positive for COVID-19.
- The Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Infection Control Experts began putting previously prepared patient management protocols into action.
- Family Medicine doctor and nurse specialists were able to begin screening and testing patients who initially came to us.
- Procedures and processes were implemented to support very sick patients suspected of COVID-19 and who needed highly specialised care.
3) What is the Aga Khan University Hospital doing for COVID-19 patients now?
The Aga Khan University Hospital is screening, testing, admitting and caring for as many COVID-19 patients as safely possible, limited by beds, appropriate space, equipment, and supplies. In February 2021, AKUH also became the first private hospital in Karachi to offer COVID-19 vaccinations under the government's free vaccination programme. Approximately, hundred thousand of people have received their vaccinations, completely free of cost, at our Main Campus. We are also assisting the government to vaccinate the elderly or otherwise immobile people at home.
While doing so, we continue to offer services to patients who suffer from other serious and life-threatening medical conditions.
In such a pandemic, the volume of suspected and infected patients with varying levels of disease severity can surge and we continue to offer technical support to the Government-led national response.
The Aga Khan University Hospital also continues to work to advance our disease knowledge, processes, systems, protocols and patient flows which are being shared with the Government Health agencies, other healthcare institutions and professional bodies.
The University Hospital understands its role as one of knowledge building, training, and resources for other Hospitals and Healthcare Professionals to use and apply directly in caring for suspected or infected COVID-19 patients. In April 2020, AKU partnered with the Health Ministry to offer a range of trainings, tele-consultations, and assessment of ICU facilities across the country, aimed at supporting treatment for hospitalised, severely ill COVID-19 patients.