First All Pakistan DUHS-DICE Health Innovation Event

A two-day first All Pakistan DUHS-DICE Health Exhibition was organized by the Dow University of Health Sciences ( DUHS) in collaboration with DICE USA from August 22 to 23, 2015 at the Expo Center in Karachi. According to the organizers twenty-three universities and several companies from health industry participated in the exhibition. It aimed at providing a platform to medical and biomedical students to demonstrate their innovations and technologies, share knowledge, and collaborate for the rapid development of innovative products, necessary for the economic development of the country.

Addressing the MoU signing ceremony between Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and Distinguished Innovation, Collaboration and Entrepreneurship (DICE-USA) for Health Innovation Collaboration, Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that the federal government along with the Sindh Government was keen to provide best of health care services to the masses. "With transfer of technologies from the USA by DICE Pakistani technologists and scientists with the help of business community will be able to provide latest machines and equipment’s at very low cost," he remarked. He appreciated that DUHS and DICE have opened an office to ensure steady collaboration for success in health innovation and its proper utilization in the country.

Talking to the participants of the Health Innovation Exhibition during a reception, Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat ul Ebad said the current competitiveness in the world demanded need for the fittest of the fit. This, the Governor said, was a challenge that was not unsurmountable and could be achieved through sincerity of purpose, hard work and absolute commitment. “There is no dearth of talent among our youth; what they need is proper guidance, training and support,” said Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan. He said coordination between local trainees as well as professionals and experts comprising overseas Pakistanis could help the country gain self-reliance in the field of medical technology. The Governor appreciated that students and faculty members from more than twenty-three universities had put on display their innovations, largely in the form of projects, aimed to improve and fine-tune medical tools and gadgets. The Sindh governor also hailed the presence of bio-medical engineers and technologists in the two-day event.

Chief Organizer of the exhibition, Dr Rana Qamar, on the occasion said projects put on display were very relevant to the healthcare needs of the country and they also included application of new and innovative technologies. She said an office of DICE comprising bio-medical engineers, scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs of Pakistani-origin presently settled abroad, had been established at the DUHS’ Ojha campus.

Earlier, at the inauguration ceremony, Prof. Masood Hameed Khan stated, “Exhibition is combine blend of competition, scientific sessions and continued medical education program. Students working in the field of medical, engineering and biomedical will be showcasing their projects. The Dow University will also showcase its innovations. The exhibition will motivate professionally educated youth to generate innovative ideas and utilize currently available state of art technologies and software, for practically possible development of health related products and services”.

The VC shared his experiences of his recent visit to Cuba: These days Cuba is very much in media because of the fact that they invested in biological technology extensively. Their biological technologists have produced 300 PhDs, who are producing world class vaccines including a vaccine for lung cancer treatment; because of this vaccine President of United States of America visited Cuba, despite the US sanctions on Cuba and had tense relations … soon after the US opened its foreign office in Cuba; this is the strength of knowledge.”

He also informed the audience about products and projects DUHS was ready to market including, RIBA water, food and high energy biscuits, institute of rehabilitation, fabricating artificial limbs, non-alcoholic hand sanitizer.

Dr. Khurshid Qureshi, Chairman DICE, informed the audience about one very interesting product at the exhibition: Concentration monitor – with the help of that device one could measure their level of concentration in the work they do, as their concentration varied from time to time.

While talking about the progress of South Korea, Dr Qureshi added, “Sixty years back South Korea was poorer than Pakistan but today, if you go there, 70% cars are Korean-made. At one time in the USA and in Pakistan as well there was a craze to buy SONY televisions but now people prefer to buy Samsung (Korean brand) televisions.”

He further informed about the objectives of establishing DICE, an organization of Pakistani expatriates working hard to bring innovation and entrepreneurship to Pakistan. He said, “One of the key objectives of DICE, in addition to creating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, is capacity building – improving our knowhow using expertise and experience of expatriates all around the world, so that Pakistan can make its own indigenous innovative products. We are the lowest cost tractor producer in the world; we could beat China as well.”