In a first for Pakistan and big milestone for the nursing fraternity in the country, Dr Rozina Karmaliani, dean of the Aga Khan University's School of Nursing and Midwifery, AKU-SONAM, becomes the first Pakistani nurse to be inducted as Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, FAAN.
AAN is one of the largest international organizations of nursing, catering to the generation and dissemination of nursing knowledge for improved healthcare outcomes and nursing practices worldwide. Their Fellowship is the highest honour bestowed to nursing professionals for the impact they have made on healthcare through education, practice, research, and policy – for championing health and wellness, locally and globally.
The nomination and selection of members is done through a rigorous process after which the inductees are expected to make global impact on future healthcare policies.
Among nearly 3,000 Fellows of AAN worldwide inducted over the past 50 years of its existence, Dr Karmaliani is the first and only member within Pakistan and the Central and South Asian regions, putting the country on the map in the field of nursing. She is the second AKU alumna to become part of this prestigious pool, the first being Dr Salimah Meghani from the University of Pennsylvania, United States.
"I am truly honoured to be representing Pakistan on such an important global platform. With the rapidly shifting trends in healthcare, it is crucial for nurses from the developing world to have a seat at the table where important policy dialogues and decision-making takes place, so they can have a bigger impact on healthcare outcomes and nursing practice on this side of the world," commented Dr Karmaliani.
Being a long-time member of the Aga Khan University and the first alumna dean of the School, Dr Karmaliani has served the institution in various leadership, research and academic capacities over the past three decades of her association with AKU.
She will be recognized for her contributions to healthcare, and officially inducted to the Academy at its annual Health Policy Conference taking place on October 29, 2022, in Washington, DC.
