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ISLAMABAD, Sep 30 (APP):Leading health experts at an international workshop organized by OIC-COMSTECH and the Health Research Advisory Board (HealthRAB) underlined that resource limitations should not become barriers to evidence-based healthcare and clinical research.
They emphasized that collaboration, innovation, and capacity building are essential for developing centres of excellence in low-resource environments across OIC member states.
The workshop, titled “Clinical Research in Resource-Constrained Environments,” was hosted by COMSTECH in collaboration with the Institute of Innovation Leadership in Medicine and Management at its Secretariat in Islamabad.
It brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers to discuss strategies for strengthening research capacity despite infrastructure and funding challenges.
In his inaugural message, Coordinator General OIC-COMSTECH Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary highlighted the urgent need for innovation in health research across the Muslim world.
He said, “Healthcare providers and researchers in many OIC member states face limited infrastructure, funding shortages, and a lack of trained personnel. These same constraints make innovation, ingenuity, and capacity building more essential than ever.”
Prof. Dr. Abdul Basit, Chairman HealthRAB, echoed this view, stressing that institutional strength in clinical research was vital for improving healthcare outcomes.
“Even in constrained environments, we can build centres of excellence through collaboration, commitment, and innovation,” he remarked.
Prof. Dr. Zakiuddin Ahmed, General Secretary HealthRAB, introduced the mission of HealthRAB and announced continued partnership with COMSTECH to host future workshops and conferences for building leadership and research capacity in the healthcare sector.
The programme featured interactive group activities, discussions on establishing research centres in resource-limited settings, and a panel session on developing a health research ecosystem through collaboration.
Dr. Samina Naeem Khalid, Professor and Researcher at the Health Services Academy Islamabad, was among the key panelists.
Concluding with a vote of thanks, participants-both in person and online-appreciated the initiative for offering practical insights and laying the foundation for stronger clinical research frameworks in challenging environments.