A Historical Engagement in Health and Traditional Medicine
Hamdard Foundation Pakistan’s engagement with the World Health Organization has its roots in the early 1980s and reflects a longstanding commitment to health, traditional medicine and the advancement of public health.
In November 1981, Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said, Founder of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, was invited by the World Health Organization to participate in the Co-ordinating Meeting of Directors of WHO Collaborating Centres for Traditional and Indigenous Systems of Medicine, held at WHO Headquarters in Geneva from 23-27, November 1981. During the meeting, Hakim Mohammed Said proposed the establishment of a Traditional Medicine Fund to support the WHO Traditional Medicine Programme. He further suggested that WHO Member States be encouraged to contribute to the Fund and announced a contribution of US$10,000 from Hamdard Foundation Pakistan.
Following formal approval from the Ministry of Finance, Pakistan, the contribution was made to the World Health Organization in June 1982. This early engagement reflected Hakim Mohammed Said’s vision of recognising the value of traditional systems of medicine within the broader framework of global health and demonstrated Hamdard Foundation Pakistan’s commitment to supporting international efforts in the field of health.
Recognised Observer Status at WHO
A Formal Role within the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean
Hamdard Foundation Pakistan’s longstanding engagement with the World Health Organization reached an important milestone in 2024, when it was formally accredited to attend sessions of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean as a Recognised Observer, without voting rights, for a period of three years commencing 17 October 2024.
The accreditation was granted at the 71st Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, providing Hamdard Foundation Pakistan with an opportunity to participate in the Regional Committee’s sessions and engage in dialogue surrounding regional and global health priorities.
During the 71st Session, Hamdard Foundation Pakistan also pledged US$50,000 to the World Health Organization, reflecting its continuing commitment to supporting efforts aimed at advancing health and wellbeing.
The Observer status provides a formal platform for Hamdard Foundation Pakistan to follow discussions, exchange perspectives and engage with governments, international organisations, health professionals, academics and civil society organisations working towards better health for all.
This formal recognition builds upon Hamdard Foundation Pakistan’s longstanding association with WHO and represents a continuation of its commitment to health, education, awareness and public service.
International Children’s Health Conference
A Journey from 1989 to 2026
In 1989, Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said, Founder of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, wrote these words for the magazine published following the first International Children’s Health Conference.
In April 1989, on the occasion of World Health Day, Hamdard Foundation Pakistan sponsored children’s conferences in Peshawar, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi on the World Health Organization theme “Let’s Talk Health.” Nearly 5,000 children participated. This was the first initiative of its kind in Pakistan to raise awareness among children about the importance of personal and public health.
What began in 1989 has grown into a sustained tradition of children’s health education and awareness. By 2026, Hamdard Foundation Pakistan has organised 34 International Children’s Health Conferences, with the 34th Conference held under the theme “Together for Health. Stand with Science,” providing generations of children and young people with opportunities to learn, participate and speak on matters related to health and wellbeing. Over the years, the conference has expanded its reach, bringing together children from different parts of Pakistan as well as participants from around the world. The continuing participation of young people reflects the enduring relevance of the initiative and its commitment to placing children at the centre of health awareness.
The journey continues. Hamdard Foundation Pakistan remains committed to carrying this initiative forward in the years ahead, continuing to engage children in health education, awareness and the vision of healthier communities.
Message from President HFP
Hamdard Foundation Pakistan (HFP) has a longstanding commitment to public health, health education, preventive care and community wellbeing, with institutional engagement with the World Health Organization (WHO) and participation in health-related international initiatives providing an important framework for aligning its programmes with internationally recognised health priorities. This report presents a selection of HFP’s seminars, conferences, awareness campaigns, community initiatives and public-health activities conducted in relation with major WHO health calendars, global health campaigns and priority areas.
As the international community advances towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, HFP’s programme orientation reflects key priorities articulated through WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14), 2025–2028, particularly the promotion, provision and protection of health and wellbeing for all, with emphasis on health equity, health promotion and prevention, primary health care and Universal Health Coverage, noncommunicable and communicable diseases, mental health, maternal and child health, healthy ageing, environmental and climate-related health risks, antimicrobial resistance, health emergencies and preparedness, and evidence-informed health education. Through these areas, Hamdard seeks to translate global health priorities into locally relevant knowledge, public awareness and meaningful community action. Hamdard’s observance of World Health Day and other WHO-designated health days and weeks is therefore viewed not merely as commemorative activity, but as an opportunity to convert global health messages into evidence-informed education, preventive action, professional dialogue and community engagement. Through seminars, conferences, lectures, publications, awareness campaigns and partnerships, HFP seeks to strengthen health literacy and encourage healthier individual and community practices while supporting the broader objectives of resilient and people-centred health systems.
Looking towards 2030, Hamdard Foundation Pakistan remains committed to expanding preventive healthcare, strengthening health education, promoting scientific and professional collaboration, and contributing to a more informed and health-conscious society. HFP believes that sustainable improvements in health require collective action among public institutions, international organisations, healthcare professionals, academia, civil society and communities, and reaffirm our commitment to better health, health equity and human wellbeing as essential foundations of sustainable development and a healthier Pakistan.
Mrs. Sadia Rashid
Message from Director General WHO
Hamdard Foundation President Sadia Rashid, distinguished guests, dear colleagues and friends,
World Health Day this year is a cause for celebration and a call to action.
More mothers and children are surviving today than ever before. Since 2000, maternal deaths have dropped by 40%, and child deaths have halved.
These gains are the result of research, investment, and dedication from health workers, scientists, public officials, partners, and civil society organizations — including many of you gathered in Karachi today.
But still, every 7 seconds, a mother or baby dies a preventable death. Each one represents a life lost too soon, and a system that failed to protect them. Too many families still face heartbreak due to lack of essential care at birth.
That’s why WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA launched the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere Partnership and the Child Survival Action Initiative — to support national and local health systems in stopping preventable deaths.
Thank you all for your commitment to the health of children in Pakistan and around the world.
I thank you.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director General
World Health Organization
Message from WHO Representative in Pakistan
Distinguished President of
the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, Ms. Sadia Rashid, esteemed authorities, participants, students from Hamdard Public School, ladies and gentlemen, good morning to you. As Salam Alaikum.
First of all, thank you for the opportunity to convey a message in the name of the World Health Organization, (WHO) and our Regional Director Dr. Hanan Balkhy, during this International Children`s Health Conference coinciding with the celebration of World Health Day.
Our children are the future. Therefore, their health is the health and future of Pakistan - the future of the world. Tomorrow, on 7th April, we will celebrate World Health Day to mark the founding of the World Health Organization in 1948, of which, Pakistan is a founding member. WHO is the United Nations science-based agency that connects nations, partners, and people to promote global health, to keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable using scientific evidence and innovation.
This year, the theme of World Health Day focuses on the importance of medical science, under the theme “Together for health. Stand with science.”
Ladies and gentlemen, through human history, medical science has protected and saved millions of lives. Let me underline a few examples. Thanks to medical science, vaccines, are today one of humanity’s greatest achievements. Over the last 50 years, vaccines have saved over 150 million lives. In Pakistan, the expanded programme on immunization reaches with life-saving vaccines for 7 million children annually and protects 5.5 million women of childbearing age.
Thanks to polio vaccines, more than 20 million people are able to walk today who would otherwise have been paralyzed. Over the past 30 years, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8%.
Today, those with eyesight issues (like me) can wear glasses to see and read without problems. Medical science made it possible.
Thanks to medical science, we found a cure for tuberculosis. Over the last 25 years, global efforts to combat tuberculosis have saved 83 million lives. In Pakistan, over the last decade, in partnership with WHO, Pakistan has provided diagnosis and life-saving treatment services over 5 million people affected by tuberculosis.
Today, thanks to anesthesia, surgeries no longer mean enduring unimaginable pain. Science made it possible.
In Pakistan, thanks to medical science, every year. WHO partners with the Ministry of Health to provide life-saving treatment for 70,000 children affected by severe acute malnutrition with medical complications.
Thanks to medical science, the 2024, WHO validated the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Pakistan, winning a battle against a disease that can result in irreversible blindness if left untreated.
Thanks to medical science, today, malaria can be treated and, for the first time ending malaria is within reach. Today, doctors can see inside your body without even making a cut with technologies such as X-ray, CT scan, MRI, and ultrasound. Science makes it possible.
Thanks to science, telemedicine brings doctors to places they couldn’t reach before. Wearables like smart watches can track what our body tell us. AI is shrinking drug discovery timelines from decades to years. Science is making healthcare more accessible.
Ladies and gentlemen, medical science is accompanying all of us in our daily lives. It is our present and our future. And this future is in the hands of the children that accompany us today.
Dear children. Your health is one of the most precious gifts you have. Health is your right, no matter where you live or who you are. To enjoy a happy life, always remember to take care of your health and the health of others. You are the future of the world, and we count on all of you to stand with science and to continue building a better and healthier world for all.
Without further preamble, let me wish you a fruitful event and discussions and thank you once again for your dedication to build a healthier future for all and for standing with science. Shukriya and thank you.
Dr. Lou Dapend
WHO Representative in Pakistan
World Health Organization
Messages from WHO Representatives
Celebrating 75 Years of WHO
A Journey from 1989 to 2026
The year 2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization, commemorating 75 years of global efforts to promote health and wellbeing under the principle of “Health for All.” To mark this important milestone, Hamdard Foundation Pakistan organised a series of health awareness and community-focused activities during the year. These initiatives brought together students, children, healthcare professionals, academics and members of the community to promote greater understanding of health and wellbeing. The activities included health awareness programmes, medical camps, a health walk, educational sessions, sports and physical activities, children’s engagement programmes, social media awareness initiatives and other community-focused activities. The International Children’s Health Conference was also part of these continuing efforts, providing children and young people with a platform to learn about health, express their views and participate in awareness activities. Through these initiatives, Hamdard Foundation Pakistan marked the WHO’s 75th anniversary by continuing its longstanding commitment to health education, public awareness and community service.
Shagufa
The journey of the International Children’s Health Conference has also been documented through Shagufa, a special publication dedicated to recording the proceedings and activities of the Conference.
Published with reference in connection with the International Children’s Health Conference, Shagufa brings together the conference’s messages, speeches, proceedings, photographs and highlights, creating a lasting record of the participation and contributions of children, speakers and guests.
Over the years, Shagufa has served as an important record of the conference’s continuing journey, preserving its themes, discussions and activities for future reference. It reflects the evolving focus of the conference while documenting Hamdard Foundation Pakistan’s sustained efforts to promote health awareness and engage children in matters concerning their wellbeing.
Since 2022, recordings of the International Children’s Health Conference have also been available on the official YouTube channel of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, providing a digital record of the conference proceedings and activities and making the conference accessible to a wider audience.
The publication of Shagufa alongside the annual conference, together with its digital documentation, represents a continuing tradition of engagement, documentation and knowledge-sharing, ensuring that the voices and experiences of young participants remain part of the conference’s history
