21/09/2025
BKMC hosts 2nd IMRC
Speakers term research as the cornerstone of progress in medical progress
Date: September 20, 2025
Speakers at a research conference in Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Bacha Khan Medical College (BKMC) termed research as the cornerstone for advancement in the field of medicine.
The second International Medical Research Conference (IMRC) held at the Auditorium of BKMC brought together medical professionals, faculty, and students from across the region. The conference served as a significant platform to underscore the indispensable role of medical research as the foundation for advancement in the field of medicine.
Vice Chancellor Khyber Medical University (KMU) Professor Dr Zia Ul Haq and Special Advisor to Chief Minister on Science and Information Technology (ST&IT) were the chief guests at the Conference. In his address, Dr Zia Ul Haq said that research was the cornerstone of progress in medical progress. He highlighted how research has enhanced life expectancy and saved millions of lives globally in recent decades through the development of new medicines, vaccines and treatments.
The Vice Chancellor expressed deep concern over the significant lag of Muslim countries in the medical research, noting that while Western nations have been awarded 20 Nobel Prizes in the field, not a single has been awarded to a laureate from the Muslim world.
He outlined KMU's committed efforts to bridge this gap by striving to promote quality research and by fostering and supporting liaison between local medical institutions and international partners.
The conference was attended by a large gathering of distinguished guests, including Chairman of the Board of Governors (BoG) MTI Mardan, Professor Dr. Arshad Javaid, Dean BKMC, Professor Dr. Nazish Farooq, Medical Director MMC Associate Professor Dr. Naeemul Haq, Hospital Director Associate Professor Dr. Sajjad Ali Shah, Associate Dean Research at BKMC Dr. Iftikhar Uddin, Chief Organizer IMRC AP Dr Salman Malik, Organizer IMRC AP Dr. Fazli Rabbi, Director Finance Muhammad Sheraz, Director Human Resource Abidur Rehman, Nursing Director Barkatullah Khan, Manager Internal Audit Mushtaq, Manger Quality Assurance Hameed Zeb, Manager Administration Dr Farhan Akram, faculty members and students from BKMC, Gajju Khan Medical College, HITEC Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjab, Khyber Girls Medical College Peshawar and other institutions were also in attendance.
Dean BKMC Professor Dr. Nazish Farooq welcomed the guests and participants. She detailed the college's active role in promoting quality research within the region, noting that each student batch was tasked with conducting research on diverse topics, with the resulting papers archived in the college library and displayed for academic discourse.
She announced with pride that two BKMC faculty members have recently been awarded research grants from the University of Oxford (UK) and the Agha Khan University in Karachi, which she cited a testament to the high caliber of the college's research and the qualifications of its faculty.
Prof Richard Byng, Professor in primary care research and PenARC Deputy Director Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health) University of Plymouth, UK delivered an insightful presentation on Mental Health and Primary Care while Dr Poorna Gunasekera (Associate Dean Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, (UK), Associate Prof of Biomedical Sciences, Peninsula School of Medicine gave a detailed presentation on Developing Research Capacity to Achieve Universal Health Coverage Programme.
The conference also featured presentations on groundbreaking research proposals. Dr. Sidra Tul Muntaha, Registrar of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MTI Mardan, presented her research on "The Effectiveness of IV FCM in treatment of iron deficiency anemia in comparison to red blood cell transfusion and IV Iron sucrose in pregnant women of developing countries." She revealed that her project is among seven research proposals from Pakistan to have recently secured international funding, with two of the funded consultants being from BKMC.
Assistant Professor Dr. Nayab Hakeem also presented a synopsis of her research proposal, "Domestic Violence and Its Adverse Feto-maternal Outcomes among pregnant Women of Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: A Prospective Cohort Study," explaining its background, methodology, and objectives.
The event also provided a platform for medical students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to present their research papers, showcasing the emerging talent and investigative spirit of the next generation of medical professionals.
Chairman BoG Prof Dr. Arshad stated that it was a matter of pride and honor for the BKMC and SRS to have organized their second IMRC conference and congratulated them on the successful ex*****on of the event.
Highlighting the critical role of research in medical progress, he emphasized that clinical work must be guided by evidence-based research. He described research as the most important component of education and urged both students and consultants to pursue high-quality research projects.
Chairman BoG Prof Dr. Arshad Javaid clarified that medical breakthroughs are not typically born from serendipity alone but require dedicated research. He elaborated, "Though some major breakthroughs in medicine have been made through serendipity—like the discovery of Penicillin—they occurred while researchers were diligently investigating other topics. It was their engagement in the research process that led to these life-changing discoveries." He urged the BKMC administration to create a research oriented environment to carry out quality researches.
Special Advisor to Chief Minister on Science and Information Technology (ST&IT) Dr Shafqat Ayaz enumerated various initiatives introduced to digitize Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He announced to sponsor the third IMRC conference in BKMC. He said that the SI&IT was introducing E-Basta initiative under which students of college and universities will be Tablets for studies. He said that Citizen Facilitation Center will be inaugurated in Mardan in coming days. He said that ST&IT is working on a project to digitize the education, health, executive and other government entities. He said that free Wifi in all government offices and departments will be provided soon.
Later, the VC KMU Prof Dr Zia Ul Haq and Chairman BoG Prof Dr Arshad Javaid inaugurated an Online Examination Hall and Department of Basic Science of Bacha Khan Dental College.
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