International leader in child health joins SickKids

September 6, 2011 - A leading international child health expert has set up office at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and will spend his academic leave in 2011-2012 with The Programme for Global Paediatric Research (PGPR) at SickKids. Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta, Founding Chair of the Division of Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, has set aside the year to work on a global action plan to eradicate childhood diarrhea which kills more than 1.25 million children a year.

Dr. Bhutta is an international scholar and has received numerous awards and honours, such as the Outstanding Paediatrician of Asia Award from the Asian Pacific Pediatric Association and the Programme for Global Paediatric Research Award for Outstanding Contributions to Global Child Health. He is a senior advisor to the World Health Organization and a member of the technical steering committee of several major international projects funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He is also co-chair of the Global Countdown to 2015 Coordinating Committee.

“Professor Bhutta brings a wealth of experience, understanding and insight to critical issues affecting maternal-child health around the world,” says Dr. Alvin Zipursky, Chair and Scientific Director of PGPR. “We are honoured to have him here and are excited about collaborating with him.”

“Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta is recognized as a shining star in global child health research,” says Dr. Denis Daneman, Paediatrician-in-Chief at SickKids. “He has chosen to spend a year at SickKids for a number of reasons, including the presence of Al Zipursky and the Programme in Global Paediatric Research, and our blossoming commitment to global health research with Stan Zlotkin as the senior member and Dan Roth, Diego Bassani and others rising fast.”

Interview with Dr. Zulifqar Bhutta

Q: Why did you choose to work in global child health?

A: I have frequently asked myself this question, especially at the end of back-breaking transcontinental journeys, and the frank answer is that it happened. I took upon myself the challenge of working on this global issue because it was there, and it seemed the right thing to do.

Q: What made you come to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) for your sabbatical leave?

A: Following several exploratory visits I was convinced that SickKids and other institutions in Toronto were uniquely poised to move forward in global health much more effectively than others. I also felt there would be the requisite support among young trainees and faculty in exploring opportunities for work across a range of priority issues in global maternal and child health and development.

Q: What do you hope to achieve in your time here?

A: First and foremost I hope to learn about how a world-class institution like SickKids functions. As the opportunities present themselves or develop, I want to engage people in understanding some of the challenges of maternal, newborn and child health and working with them on innovative solutions. I have a specific set of projects that are focused on addressing these issues; getting people engaged in ways that affect the lives of millions of families across the world would be a great starting point in what I hope will be a long-term relationship.

Q: Eight million children under the age of five die every year–can we help in an effective way?

A: Absolutely. A decade ago we said that we knew enough about what works to prevent 60 per cent of the 10 million deaths that occurred among children under the age of five in the year 2000. That we have reduced the burden of extra child deaths by an average of 200,000 every year is a remarkable testament to the fact that change can happen. Nevertheless, many countries are failing to make progress, frequently due to a combination of lack of resources, governance and lack of consensus on what needs to be done. Other issues need attention, too, especially the effects of the environment on outcomes that transcend survival, such as human development. What we are seeing is that the lack of integrated strategies for maternal, newborn and child health is a major barrier to progress and urgent action is needed.

Q: What’s your advice when people ask what they should do about a crisis like the current one in Somalia?

A: Somalia is a unique example of a blend of natural and man-made disasters. The most lasting interventions that institutions can help develop in such circumstances are establishment of collaborations and partnerships among like minded people and organizations on the ground which can lead to tangible benefits, hand holding and mutual learning.

Q: In your view what is your greatest achievement to date?

A: Perhaps showing that with perseverance, resilience and the right partnerships even a relatively small group of people (not me alone, but the scores of young people who work with me), working in distant, poor countries with enormous challenges, can influence policy at a global platform. I believe that our work on scaling up community-based interventions across a range of maternal, newborn and child health issues has truly pushed the envelope and led to concerted action across a range of countries.

Q: And what is your greatest challenge?

A: Ensuring that we continue to walk the talk and work towards scaling up what we advocate for. This is an issue that researchers face everywhere: we cannot be entirely absolved from ensuring that the products of our work find their way to the people who need them most.

Q: What do you think of the SickKids vision statement, Healthier Children. A Better World.?

A: It’s an outstanding and motivating statement. It captures the ethos for what institutions like my parent institution (the Aga Khan University) and SickKids stand for, a global mission that transcends geographic boundaries.

Contact Dr. Bhutta at SickKids:

Zulfiqar Bhutta
Phone: 416-813-7654 ext. 28532
zulfiqar.bhutta@sickkids.ca