Prof. Rathore gave the faculty the go-ahead to launch a diploma programme in environment and climate change at this time.
In order to prioritise research projects on health issues brought on by environmental and climate change factors in their PhD, MPhil, Masters, and undergraduate programmes, the University of Health Sciences (UHS) has decided to make environment and climate change its primary research agenda for the next three years.
The university will work with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in this regard, and agreements will also be made with the universities and research institutions of other SAARC nations.
Pakistan was suffering from the negative effects of environmental change, according to UHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore, who was in charge of the meeting of heads of administrative and teaching departments on Tuesday at the university’s Jinnah Campus.
He suggested that we reevaluate our priorities. The health risks brought on by this developing crisis, according to him, are already being addressed by medical professionals around the world.
He claimed that the environmental change is the single greatest health threat facing humanity. He emphasised that the university had a duty to aid the nation’s citizens and the executive branch in addressing the negative impacts of climate change.
Prof. Rathore stated that “higher education institutions have a critical role to play in advancing the societal adaptive capacities needed to meet the challenges posed by the current environmental crises, as well as in driving the scientific, political, technological, and cultural change needed to avoid the worst-case climate change scenarios.”
The UHS VC instructed the teaching departments to concentrate on infection control, hospital waste disposal, and diseases linked to climate change, including infertility, depression, sleep disorders, breathing issues, kidney diseases, allergies, and kidney diseases.
The research activities in this regard will be coordinated by the Public Health Department, he continued. Prof. Rathore also gave the faculty the go-ahead to launch a diploma programme in environment and climate change at this time.
The meeting also covered topics pertaining to undergraduate and graduate programmes. According to the UHS VC, communication skills and medical writing are now part of the undergraduate curriculum.