DUHS introduces BS-Nutrition programme

MN Report

KARACHI- Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) has introduced first-ever Bachelor of Science (BS-Nutrition) degree programme in Sindh to produce human resource and expertise in the field of nutrition and dietetics at its School of Public Health, Ojha Campus.  

Islamabad’s Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University’s vice chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Iqbal Khan was the chief guest at an orientation ceremony of the programme. The DUHS’ vice chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan, students, parents and the faculty members of the School of Public Health were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Iqbal Khan said that malnutrition and food insecurity is high on the national agenda in Pakistan and, therefore, nutrition education is very important for public health and health care services in any civilized and developing nation.

In Pakistan, it's a need of the hour and more resources and manpower must be allocated for education and training of nutrition professionals and expertise to alleviate the high rate of malnutrition in Sindh and across the country, he added.

He congratulated the Prof Masood Hameed for initiating the first-ever degree programme in nutritional sciences at graduate and the undergraduate level in Sindh province.

Prof Masood Hameed said that Dow University since its inception has focused on producing public health professionals who should be critical thinkers, equipped with the knowledge, attitude and skills to address the public health problems at policy formulation, programme implementation, programme monitoring and evaluation level with an emphasis on research and development that is useful to the community at large.

Dr Kashif Shafique welcomed the first batch of 26 students of Bachelor of Science (BS-Nutrition) degree programme.

He also informed the audience different programmes currently being offered at the School of Public Health include MSPH in Nutrition, Social & Behavioral Science, Health Policy and Management, Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Biostatistics and Epidemiology and PhD in Public Health.

Dr Nilofer Fatimi Safdar said that this is a four-year degree programme, primarily focusing on various aspects of food and nutrition in clinical and public health.