ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has completed 50pc arrangements for the first-ever birth cohort study which will initially be carried out in the capital and then across the country.

“The arrangements started a few months back in Bhara Kahu with the support of University of Liverpool, Bristol University, Bradford University and Health Services Academy Islamabad. The aim of the study is to address health-related issues on the basis of credible data,” NHS Director General Asad Hafeez told Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza during a briefing on Tuesday.

Dr Mirza was visiting the basic health unit and under-construction Mother and Child Hospital in Bhara Kahu.

He was informed that after completion of arrangements recruitment of researchers would be started.

“A questioner has been finalised and an app developed to help researchers directly feed the data on tablets. It would be saved in a cloud to be used for the finalisation of research,” Dr Hafeez said.

He said a number of people from different fields such as information technology, lady health workers, researchers and health professionals would be involved in the study.

Dr Hafeez told Dawn that around 25,000 people would be involved in the study and their data from prior birth to different stages of life would be collected.

“During the study, data of babies, prior birth, are collected and after that it is observed why some of the children die during childhood and why others live for so many decades.

Moreover, in case a person dies of cancer at the age of 25 and the other does not have cancer, we analyse the data to know what was the lifestyle of the person who died of cancer and what was the way of life of the other person,” he said.

“We may find a result that the person who had cancer used to smoke 20 cigarettes daily and the other person was not a smoker. Or in cases of diabetes we can see if intake of sugar was high and why a person remained safe. Was such as person doing exercise or had physical activity,” he said.

Dr Hafeez said it was for the first time a birth cohort study was being carried out in Pakistan.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, Dr Mirza said the birth cohort research would be an asset for next generations and there would be positive impact on the healthcare system.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2019