Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) at St. Jude’s Global Alliance Annual Convening: Global Voices, Exchanging Knowledge

From December 10-12, 2024, Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) participated in St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Global Alliance Annual Convening: Global Voices, Exchanging Knowledge, held in Memphis, USA. Representing IHHN were Dr. Javeria Aijaz (Molecular Pathologist), Dr. Arif Ali (Head of Pharmacy Services), Dr. Ahmer Hamid (Pediatric Oncologist), and Afifa Batool (Deputy General Manager, Marketing & Communications). IHHN’s active involvement in the conference underscored its leadership and dedication to combating catastrophic diseases like cancer and blood disorders in children. Key Highlights Opening Plenary Session Moderated by St. Jude Global Director Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, the session focused on the St. Jude Global Continuum of Care for pediatric cancer patients. Dr. Javeria Aijaz represented the diagnosis category, presenting IHHN’s contributions in Pakistan. Her presentation showcased innovative work under the St. Jude DIVIA initiative (Diagnostic Innovations for Value-based Implementation Models to Improve Access), conducted in partnership with St. Jude and the University of North Carolina. Breakout Session: Advancing Specialized Cancer Diagnostics Dr. Javeria Aijaz, alongside the St. Jude DIVIA team, co-hosted this session to explore stakeholder perspectives on cancer diagnostics. The discussion addressed cost landscapes, resource challenges, scalability, and supply chain issues in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Key activities included:

• A presentation by Dr. Nickhill Bhakta on pediatric cancer diagnostics in LMICs.
• A panel discussion moderated by Dr. Bhakta and Dr. Aijaz, featuring topics like cost-effectiveness, data collection, and policy implications.

Breakout Session: Standing Strong for Childhood Cancer Care Afifa Batool co-led this session with Dr. Soad Fuentes-Alabi (El Salvador) and Ms. Rana Ghafary (Jordan). The session explored innovative solutions for ensuring continuity of pediatric cancer care during crises, including:

• COVID-19 Response: Dr. Fuentes-Alabi shared experiences from El Salvador.
• Flood Response in Pakistan: Afifa Batool highlighted IHHN’s use of teleconsultation and medication supply solutions.
• Refugee Camp Support: Ms. Ghafary presented adaptable fundraising models to sustain care for children in refugee camps.

An interactive round-table discussion followed, identifying solutions to address barriers such as disrupted healthcare services, medication supply chain interruptions, and financial challenges. Breakout Session: Prescription for Progress Dr. Arif Ali led discussions on best practices for sterile compounding in pharmacy services. He highlighted key recommendations for infrastructure, equipment, and personnel training, emphasizing the need for compliance with US Pharmacopeia standards. Efforts are underway to develop a uniform training syllabus for LMICs. Poster Session & Immersive Experience Networking

• Exhibit Presentation: Afifa Batool shared IHHN’s journey through an exhibit titled Changing the Paradigm of Healthcare in Pakistan . The display included inspiring stories of two pediatric oncology patients, Mariam and Sarah, showcasing the use of art therapy and bead therapy in supportive care.
• Poster Presentation: Dr. Arif Ali presented IHHN’s work on establishing standardized pediatric oncology pharmacy services across five shared-care public hospitals, emphasizing patient safety and hazardous drug handling.

NGS Collaborative Workgroup Dr. Javeria Aijaz detailed IHHN’s implementation of transcriptome sequencing for pediatric cancer using Oxford Nanopore Technologies, in collaboration with St. Jude and the University of North Carolina. Conclusion IHHN’s participation in this esteemed event highlighted its commitment to healthcare innovation and strengthened its global partnerships. Together with organizations like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, IHHN remains dedicated to advancing equitable, high-quality care for children, particularly in under-resourced regions.