The Burden of Disease Modeling workshop was held from July 4-5, 2024, at the Avari Towers Karachi. aimed to deepen participants' understanding of the country's disease burden through a series of engaging and informative sessions, the event brought together a dynamic group of healthcare professionals, researchers, and data science students from various institutes across Pakistan.
The first day kicked off with Dr Zainab Samad, Director, CITRIC HDSC providing an Introduction to Disease Modeling, setting the stage for understanding how disease burden can be assessed and managed. Participants then got acquainted with R programming, exploring its powerful capabilities for data analysis in healthcare. The day continued with hands-on sessions on data manipulation, visualization, and cleaning in R, where attendees learned to transform raw data into meaningful insights. The day culminated in a session on statistical analysis using R, equipping participants with the skills to identify trends and patterns in healthcare data.
The second day introduced participants to the Susceptible, Infectious, and/or Recovered (SIR) Model, providing crucial knowledge on epidemic modeling. This was followed by strategic scenario-building exercises, allowing participants to apply their skills in realistic, challenging settings. A standout session focused on the incidence of catastrophic health expenditure in Pakistan, leveraging data from the PSLM 2018-19 survey to highlight the financial challenges faced by households. The workshop also explored the promises of universal health coverage, discussing initiatives aimed at achieving equitable healthcare for all. The final session emphasized translating data into actionable policy insights, with a special focus on the role of government in shaping effective healthcare strategies.
This comprehensive workshop not only equipped participants with essential knowledge and practical skills but also inspired them to contribute significantly to healthcare research and policy-making in Pakistan. The collaborative environment fostered networking and idea-sharing, leaving everyone with a renewed sense of purpose and direction.
