On Monday, June 24 in Islamabad, philanthropist Bill Gates met with Aga Khan University President Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin and research experts from AKU's Department of Paediatrics and Child Health for a one-hour briefing on new vaccine and pregnancy risk studies.
Representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) were also present with AKU alumnae Dr Anita Zaidi moderating the discussion. Dr Zaidi leads BMGF's Gender Equality Division which focuses on improving lives and livelihoods for women and children in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
AKU Associate Professor Dr Zahra Hoodbhoy presented key updates on PRISMA, a pregnancy platform for assessing maternal life-threatening risk factors. The project, which began in 2022, investigates what illnesses are fatal or debilitating for pregnant women in Pakistan. She presented preliminary results on anaemia, pregnancy infections, and other coexisting conditions from the Karachi field sites.
She also updated the group on a high-impact trial that aims to improve maternal nutrition, which is due to start later this year. A local company is developing a new micronutrient supplement, which will be evaluated as part of the study for its influence on both prenatal and postnatal outcomes. Results are expected in early 2027.
AKU Assistant Professor Dr Imran Nisar, Vice Chair of Research at Paediatrics and Child Health, presented on the successful launch of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in Pakistan. The vaccine is designed to protect against Invasive Pneumococcal Disease, a serious illness that can lead to severe infections in young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. In Pakistan, the disease affects thousands of people every year, with many children under the age of five particularly at risk.
Since 2012, PCV has significantly reduced infections. AKU's work has informed government policy on the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).
Dr Nisar also provided an update on the trial to study the safety and immunogenicity of the Hepatitis E vaccine Hecolin for pregnant women. Hepatitis E is a common infection in unhygienic settings and a leading cause of illness and death in women and newborns, especially in Pakistan. Hecolin is a WHO-approved vaccine. However, there isn't enough information about its safety and effectiveness in pregnant women. This has made it difficult to use the vaccine for pregnant women during emergencies like natural disasters and displacements, when they are especially vulnerable. Study results are expected by July 2026.
Bill Gates was eager to understand the operational context in Pakistan as well as aspects of the trials' overall themes.
He later met privately with AKU President Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin and appreciated the collaboration between AKU and BMGF. The two explored areas to enhance partnership impact, particularly in climate change as well as a visit to AKU campuses in Pakistan and East Africa.
Since 2019, AKU has received grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation worth 74 million US dollars. With this funding, researchers at Aga Khan University have studied how different factors affect the health of mothers and children. They have also provided essential healthcare to poor and marginalized communities through various programmes and health camps. These efforts have helped fight polio and support regular vaccinations. The Foundation's support has greatly advanced AKU's efforts to improve health outcomes in recent years.
