Pakistan’s Indus Hospital Health & Network Secures Spot on Eastern Mediterranean Regional Advisory Committee with Afifa Batool’s Nomination

On July 29, 2025, during the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Advisory Committee (EM RAC) nominations meeting, Indus Hospital & Health Network proudly announced the nomination of Afifa Batool, Deputy General Manager and Head of Marketing & Communications, as a Foundation Standing Member representing IHHN, Pakistan, and the partnered foundations of ALSAC/St. Jude in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

This marks a milestone: for the first time, non-clinical (foundation) members have been inducted into the EM RAC, and IHHN has been entrusted with one of the two Foundation Standing Member positions allotted for 2025. Afifa Batool’s nomination recognises IHHN’s growing role within the St. Jude Global Alliance and the broader regional effort to strengthen pediatric cancer care, and Manal Azhari’s role from the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon. Both bring extensive experience in outreach, advocacy, and operational leadership to strengthen regional collaboration in pediatric cancer care.

Afifa Batool brings to the committee a demonstrated commitment to community engagement and outreach. She leads two of IHHN’s flagship programs, Indus Yaqeen (the youth volunteer programme) and i-Inspire (the women ambassador programme). Her nomination underscores the important role foundation partners play alongside medical institutions in advancing the EM RAC’s priorities: patient-centred care, education, research, and resource identification.

The EM RAC — St. Jude Global’s regional governance body exists to identify regional needs, define priorities, optimise collaboration opportunities, and provide strategic oversight for Alliance activities across the Eastern Mediterranean. The newly formed RAC structure includes medical standing members, foundation standing members, POEM representation, ex officio members from St. Jude, and ad-hoc members invited for specific issue items. Standing members serve two-year terms, with the current cohort serving until June 2026.

Foundations elected to the EM RAC are tasked with representing the region at annual Global Alliance meetings, contributing timely information for progress reports, actively participating in Alliance initiatives, and sharing regional developments with Alliance participants and their institutions, responsibilities that align closely with IHHN’s outreach and advocacy work.

Indus Hospital & Health Network is honoured to have Afifa Batool take on this regional role, a unique opportunity to represent Pakistan’s foundation partners on a platform dedicated to improving outcomes for children with cancer across the Eastern Mediterranean.