Medical Conferencing & Exhibition


Concept Paper
Medical Conference and Exhibition 1st July 2022  
Health Services Academy
Thalassemia, anemia, colour blindness, hemophilia, deafness, etc., are some examples of monogenic hereditary diseases also known as genetic disorders. Pakistan is among the countries which are on high alert for rapid increase or such genetic disorders. According to an estimate, about 30 million people out of Pakistan’s 220 million population suffer from genetic defects. The reasons for high prevalence of hereditary disorder are many: one is consanguinity due to cultural preference of cousin marriages and spouse selection from near or distant blood relatives. Thus, approximately 80 percent consanguinity in Pakistan, is perhaps the highest in the world. The incidence of genetic diseases at birth can be reduced through introduction of premarital genetic testing and its counseling as a part of healthcare system in Pakistan. Research evidence suggests, genetic testing and counseling, if made mandatory in Pakistan, hints to reduce this rapidly increasing burden of hereditary diseases. Some countries with high rates of consanguinity offer testing to detect carriers of genetic disorders, as well as genetic counseling programmes. In Tunisia, for instance, a premarital consultation and testing for blood relatives with a history of genetic complications is mandatory. This is also mandated in Saudi Arabia and parts of Iran.

Problem Statement:

Genetic testing and pr-natal screenings for hereditary disorders are not widely available in Pakistan.

Way Forward :

Keeping in view the hereditary disease burden in Pakistan, Dynamic Medical Company (DMC) in institutional collaboration with Health Services Academy (HSA), MoNHSR&C and in partnership with China’s leading medical equipment manufacturers has planned to set up a Genetic Reference Laboratory and Research Center for Genetic Disorders here in Islamabad at the premise of HSA. This intervention and its nationwide replication will not only augment the transnational medical trade through Pak-China Medical Corridor but will also initiate a ground for Govt. of Pakistan to make relevant legislation such as mandatory per-marriage genetic testing. It is expected that establishing this reference laboratory for genetic disorders in Islamabad for wider access to public will address the high prevalence of hereditary disorders. Premarital screening will help people examine chances of genetic disorders. Its early detection can also aid treatment of a child born with a hereditary disorder.

 Agenda

Timings 
Activity 
Till 09:55 AM 
Arrival, Welcome and Registration of the Guests 
10:00 AM – 10:00 AM 
Recitation of Holy Quran 
10:00 AM – 10:10 AM 
Inaugural Remarks by Vice Chancellor HSA, Prof. Dr. Shahzad Ali Khan 
10:10 AM – 10:20 AM 
Opening Remarks by Dr. Ghazna Khalid, Advisor Health, Govt. of Pakistan   
10:20 AM – 10:30 AM 
Remarks by Honorable Federal Minister Health, Mr. Abdul Qadir Patel 
10:30 AM – 10:40 AM 
Remarks by Honorable Federal Minister BOI, Mr. Chaudhry Salik Hussain 
10:40 AM – 10:55 AM 
Tea Break 
10:55 AM – 11:10 AM 
Session 1: Hereditary diseases and their consequences 
Prof. Dr. Mubashir Hanif, Director ORIC, Health Service Academy   
11:10 AM – 11:25 AM 
Session 2: Artificial intelligence solutions in chronic diseases  
Mr. Ryan and Mr. Richard, Airdoc China 
11:25 AM – 11:40 AM 
Session 3: Bringing clinical value through validated analysis  
Dr. Thomas Borge, Norway  
11:40 AM – 11:55 AM 
Session 4: Gene technology 
Ms. Christina and Mr. Han, BGI Genomics Co. Ltd. 
11:55 AM – 12:10 PM 
Session 5: Pharmacogenetics - precision medicine in clinical science 
Dr. Jari Forsstrom, Finland 
12:10 PM – 12:25 PM 
Session 6: Genetics 
Prof. Dr. Tahir Iqbal, Director Burn Centre, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences 
12:30 PM – 02:00 PM 
Prayer & Lunch Break 
02:00 PM – 02:15 PM 
Session 7: Gene sequencing 
Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar, Director General Research, ICESCO 
02:15 PM – 02:30 PM 
Session 8: Neusoft Project 
Mr. Rex and Mr. Dan, Neusoft Medical System 
02:30 PM – 02:45 PM 
Session 9: The power of exome sequencing for the diagnosis of genetic condition  
Dr. Gabriel Heinz, Germany 
02:45 PM – 03:00 PM 
Session 10: Clinical genomic diagnosis to fulfill precision medicine 
Dr. Jin Ahn, South Korea 
03:00 PM – 03:15 PM 
Session 11: Next generation sequencing and its applications  
Dr. Ozan Asici, Turkey 
03:15 PM – 03:30 PM 
Session 12: Stem cells technology 
Dr. Sarah, National University of Singapore and Transcontinental Pharma 
03:30 PM - 03:45 PM 
Panel Discussion 
03:45 PM - 04:00 PM 
Hi-Tea 
04:00 PM – 04:10 PM 
Closing Remarks by Mr. Owais Mir, CEO of Dynamic Medical Company