Princess Zahra yesterday attended the inauguration of the purpose-built Aga Khan Health Centre in Aliabad, a new facility that aims to boost the quality of healthcare in the region.

Equipped with the latest medical technologies and staffed by highly trained healthcare professionals, the new centre is a major step forward in the infrastructure of Aliabad and the surrounding area, bringing timely and effective medical services closer to the community.

To ensure residents receive the best possible care, the new centre is equipped with digital-health services, an accident and emergency department, a high-dependency unit, and comprehensive obstetric and neonatal services. The new building also houses residence facilities for doctors and nurses.

In the hub and spokes model that the Aga Khan Health Service has adopted in Pakistan, the centre is linked to the Aga Khan Hospital in Gilgit for referrals, while Aliabad itself serves as a sub-hub for nine basic health centres in Hunza and Nagar. The facility also provides digital health services where tele-consultations for psychiatry and dermatology are offered to patients.  

The overall goal is to provide accessible, high-quality healthcare that not only treats illnesses but promotes overall well-being. This centre, therefore, will be a cornerstone of AKDN’s efforts to improve health outcomes in the community. As the centre opens its doors to patients, it marks a new chapter in the region's healthcare journey, promising a healthier future for all.

Princess Zahra is on a six day visit to Pakistan to review projects of the Aga Khan Development Network. Earlier in the day, she also visited the Aga Khan School in Aliabad, established in 2018, and the Professional Development Centre, North, which was inaugurated by Mawlana Hazar Imam in 2000 and is the first of its kind development hub for teachers, teacher-educators, education administrators and managers in the region.