Dr. Hashim chose to expand his knowledge and add to his training by volunteering for an internship through the Global Health Program at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. This School has long-term collaborations where students, faculty, and staff work with colleagues around the world on multidisciplinary education programs, clinical training, patient care, research and public health initiatives.
The program in Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan, is an initiative of the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS,P), where its health centers serve the communities living in the remote mountainous region. AKHS,P has a wide footprint in this region, home to remote valleys and at times, harsh living conditions. It has an established track record of providing essential health services either through health centers or through regular community outreach. It has sent multidisciplinary clinical teams there to assess healthcare availability, evaluate areas for improvement, and to further train local staff.
Dr. Hashim was based at the Aga Khan Hospital, Gilgit, where care is provided to patients of all ages, including newborns. “In this region, there are very few higher-level centers of care for neonates or preterm babies,” explains Dr. Hashim. AKHS,P is examining how the Center can now expand care for premature babies.
Dr. Hashim’s objectives were to complete a needs assessment to introduce a neonatology program, to train the physicians and staff on the new equipment that had been acquired, and how to track outcomes, such as which treatments and practices yield better results. Volunteer professionals, including Dr. Hashim as the pediatrician lead, will continue to monitor and assess outcomes and train staff in Gilgit remotely.
Another assignment required Dr. Hashim to evaluate the management of stroke patients and work to establish protocols in their evaluation and treatment, which are often underutilized in remote and understaffed facilities.
Upon his return, Dr. Hashim contributed to presentations summarizing the results of his assessments at the Aga Khan Hospital, Gilgit, for both neonates and for stroke patients. These findings will be used to address needs as well as lacunae in services, and were shared at two medical conferences in the United States.
The relationship with UCLA is managed under the Agreement of Cooperation (AOC) between the Imamat and the institutions of the State of California. Under this AOC, relevant AKDN institutions work with State institutions to build long-term partnerships. This Agreement led to a Memorandum of Understanding between the Aga Khan Health Services, Geneva, the Aga Khan University, and UCLA’s School of Medicine, which facilitates collaboration in research, knowledge exchange, and joint conferences in areas of mutual interest.
The initial focus of the MOU has been to enable interns from the Aga Khan Health Services and UCLA to explore and understand global healthcare systems through clinical and research projects.
The internship in Gilgit was the second such collaboration, facilitated by the Aga Khan Health Board for the United States of America (AKHB), which also arranged for UCLA neonatologist Dr. Abdul Rehman Ahmed and Nurse Practitioner Khairunissa "Keri" Karim to suggest and manage quality improvement initiatives and various neonatal clinical certifications for the staff at AKMC Gilgit.
Keri was at AKMC Gilgit until September 2024, along with two other practitioners to continue the training of the clinical staff, and space planning and allocation at the expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. With the improved quality and the caliber of the facility, the Centre has recently received recognition as a hospital by the Government of Pakistan.
Dr. Kiran Masood is Director of the Global Health Track in the UCLA Department of Pediatrics. She had spent two years working at hospitals in East Africa after her residency through the non-profit organization, Seed Global Health. She says that about 30 to 50 senior medical students and residents apply for internship positions each year. This allows them to experience different healthcare systems and medical issues, while also learning about other cultures.
“UCLA partners with a lot of institutions, and it is always better to work with well-resourced and organized institutions such as the Aga Khan Health Services,” comments Dr. Masood, noting:
"Each year, about 50 senior medical students and residents from UCLA apply for international rotations at institutions all over the world. This allows them to experience different healthcare systems and medical issues, while also learning about other cultures"
Remarking on his time in Gilgit, Dr. Hashim recalls:
“The warmth and kindness of the people, coupled with the breathtaking beauty of the region, left a profound impression on me. I felt as if my life experiences had specifically prepared me for assignments like this. Serving a community in need, and seeing the impact we can have, makes me eager to return.”
The rural community in Gilgit will certainly see an improvement in the health and mortality rates of their young children and older patients, and appreciate the intervention and expertise of Dr. Hashim and other AKHS staff and volunteers.
