Larkana to host certified BLS hub for upper Sindh

DUHS-SMBBMU MoU aims to train local emergency responders, cut travel for certification

IV Report

KARACHI: Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a certified Basic Life Support (BLS) training centre in Larkana, according to a DUHS press release.

The MoU was signed at the Vice Chancellor’s Secretariat, DUHS, Karachi. From DUHS, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nazli Hussain, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Sajida Qureshi, Registrar Dr Ashar Afaq, Director PDC Dr Syed Farjad Sultan, Muhammad Irfan, Imran Ahmed and members of the Training Centre team attended.

Representing SMBBMU were Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nusrat Shah, Director DHPE Dr Saira Fatima and Training Location Coordinator Dr Muhammad Imran Soomro.

According to DUHS high officials, the centre will provide internationally certified BLS training to doctors, nurses, paramedics and students from Larkana and adjoining districts. The training includes chest compressions, CPR, rescue breathing and airway management — core skills required to respond to cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies.

DUHS officials said the initiative holds particular significance for upper Sindh, where healthcare professionals previously had to travel to other cities for standardised certification. The availability of a local facility is expected to increase the number of trained responders in hospitals and clinics across the region and help improve emergency response times.

High officials at both institutions observed that taking quality training to the districts will help build local capacity so communities have skilled teams available on site during emergencies. According to SMBBMU high officials, the facility will make certified training more accessible to healthcare workers in the region and contribute to improved patient outcomes.

The press release further stated that DUHS has been providing internationally certified healthcare training since 2010, with more than 25,000 professionals trained nationwide through its network of centres. The Larkana facility adds to that outreach.

Both universities, the release added, are committed to expanding access to continuing professional development and lifesaving skills. The establishment of the BLS training centre in Larkana is expected to serve as a foundation for extending similar certified training to other parts of Sindh.

Photo courtesy: DUHS

With an uninterrupted 23-year career in daily journalism (1991-2013), the author/editor of this blog currently serves as Editor of Social Track, a weekly newspaper focused on social sectors, based in Karachi. Holding a master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Karachi (1990), his professional experience includes roles as senior reporter at Daily Dawn, Karachi (May 2001-August 2013) and Chief Reporter at The News International, Karachi (April 1991-May 2001). He has a strong background in development journalism, he has an extensive portfolio of news stories, analytical reports and features covering a wide range of sectors. He has had the privilege of covering numerous high-profile figures, including Pakistani presidents, prime ministers, army chiefs, foreign dignitaries, and VVIPs and attending conferences and workshops abroad. He began his journalism career in the early 1980s. Throughout his career, he has received several national awards from government and private organisations. He has contributed to various radio and TV/channel broadcasts and has also served as a trainer at workshops in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focused on training journalists.

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