The COMSTECH is the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the OIC.
COMSTECH struggles for the socio-economic development and strengthening of OIC member states through capacity enhancement in various fields of science and technology.
After making Health Services Academy (HSA), Pakistan, a member of COMSTECH’s Consortium of excellence for the development and promotion of public health activities in OIC member states, It was envisioned through an agreement in September 2021 that HSA shall take front-line role to proliferate public health especially in African countries of OIC.
After taking some practical measures, recently in February 2022, HSA engaged COMSTECH Secretariat Islamabad to join hands with Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) for joint initiatives.
Under the “Resource Linkage Programme” Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and OIC will provide HSA the financial support in addition to HSA’s own technical resources to ultimately buckle up 12 African Universities in the field of Public Health.
It’s a matter of great pride for Pakistani nation that a public organization of Govt. of Pakistan is going to support various African countries through its technical competence and vast experience in public health. The translation of this multi-national technical support shall be brought to reality through an agreement inked between Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) based in Kampala, Uganda and Health Services Academy (HSA) on 28th March, 2022.
Rector IUIU, Prof. Dr. Ismail Simbwa Gyagenda and the Vice Chancellor HSA, Prof. Dr. Shahzad Ali Khan signed this memorial agreement at its headquarters in Islamabad. Prof. Gyagenda expressed his gratitude and appreciated HSA’s efforts as a premier of public health especially during the period of Covid-19 in Pakistan. On this occasion, Prof. Ismail met the ORIC Team at HSA and spoke to Director ORIC, Prof. Dr. Mubashir Hanif and Manager I&C, Mr. Abdul Moeed. A concept document for this historic cooperation is all set to be made on priority by ORIC at HSA to kick-start the delivery of program.
It is pertinent to mention that IUIU is the secretariat of 12 different universities in Africa and the HSA is the public health educational and research arm of Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, Govt. of Pakistan.
The partnership agreement’s salient areas of mutual cooperation are:
1) Research and Educational activities.
2) Joint Medical Camps in Uganda.
3) Scholarships and research fellowships.
4) Exchange of students, faculty and staff.
5) Exchange of information.
6) Capacity building activities
7) Other areas mutually agreed by both parties.