The University of Health Sciences (UHS) Lahore has become the first institution in Pakistan to officially integrate six critical life-saving skills into the undergraduate curriculum for all health-related programs.
Starting this academic year, students of medicine, dentistry, nursing, and allied health sciences must complete training in these emergency skills before sitting their final exams.
The six compulsory courses include: Cardiac First Response/Basic Life Support (Adult & Pediatric), Advanced Life Support (Cardiac & Trauma), Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT), Emergency Neonatal Care, and Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care (EMONC).
UHS says around 25,000 students from 200 affiliated colleges will be trained annually. These skills are expected to help students respond to cardiac arrests, road accidents, and emergency deliveries, potentially saving lives before professional help arrives.
At the launch ceremony at UHS Jinnah Campus, experts and global partners praised the move. WHO Deputy Representative Ellen Mpangananji Thom highlighted Pakistan’s high neonatal mortality rate and called the initiative crucial.
UNICEF’s Dr. Safina Abdullah said the curriculum reform was a “reunion of heart and mind,” while Dr. Quratulain Ahmed noted that Punjab’s neonatal mortality rate had dropped due to such efforts.
