A delegation from the University of Health Sciences (UHS) Lahore represented Pakistan at the Annual Conference of the South and Southeast Asia Medical Education and Service Alliance (SSAMESA) held from October 24-27, 2024.
The event was hosted by Kunming Medical University (KMU) and has brought together prominent policymakers and medical education leaders from across South and Southeast Asia, including countries like Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand.
The UHS delegation comprised Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore (Vice Chancellor, UHS), Prof. Nadia Naseem (Pro-Vice Chancellor, UHS), Prof. Sidrah Saleem (Director R&D, UHS), and Prof. Allah Rakha (Head of Forensic Medicine, UHS).
On the first day of the conference (October 25), the UHS Vice Chancellor participated in a consultative meeting with other university heads and vice-chancellors, chaired by SSAMESA President Prof. Xia Xueshan.
During the meeting, Prof. Rathore proposed the nomination of focal persons from each member country to enhance collaborative efforts in medical education and research. He also suggested a unified approach to expand research and academic exchange programs, aiming to strengthen collective capabilities in addressing regional health challenges.
The following day (October 26), the UHS delegation engaged in a one-on-one meeting with the President and Vice President of SSAMESA, alongside senior officials from KMU’s Public Health and International Affairs departments.
The discussion centred on formalizing ties through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for academic and research collaboration, particularly in public health, nursing, and maternal and child health.
A student exchange program was also agreed upon, with the initial step being the invitation of a Pakistani student delegation to China for academic and technical exposure.
