KARACHI: An international centre at the University of Karachi has launched a digital healthcare platform designed to provide medical care to patients assisted by artificial intelligence.

“The development of the digital health care journey platform, namely ‘Health Hands’ in the ICCBS Technology Park and Technology Incubation Centre (ICCBS-TPTIC), International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi can play a pivotal role in Pakistan’s health care system. Science played an essential role in the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19. We need to invest in our children to make them skilled as skills play a vital role in the development and growth,” said Prof Dr M. Iqbal Choudhary, director of the ICCBS, at the launch of the platform on Tuesday at the Prof Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Auditorium.

KU Dean Pharmacy Prof Dr Faiyaz Vaid and other faculty members were also present. Dr Reaz Uddin, Mr Kashif Fareed, CEO Softsols Pakistan, and ICCBS-TPTIC assistant manager Syed Moin Ali also spoke.

Prof Choudhary, who is also COMSTECH coordinator general, appreciated the innovative work done by Health Hands and ICCBS Technology Incubator & Industrial Park in terms of producing the digital healthcare journey platform for the first time in Pakistan. The KU’s ICCBS Technology Park is the largest among entrepreneurship centres based in academic institutions, he said.

He pointed out that the role of science in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic was essential, adding that knowledge was essential, but its transformation into skills plays a vital role in the development and growth of any country. He said knowledge and skills both were important, while practice was the only way to develop skills.

Talking about the international centre he said, “The ICCBS is a unique example of private sector contribution and vision towards higher education. This centre has played an extremely important role in the provisional capacity in healthcare research, and community service delivery.”

Earlier, Prof Choudhary launched the digital healthcare journey platform by clicking a button on the screen.

The launch of the Health Hands platform is like the dawn of a new era in Pakistan’s healthcare system, Mr Fareed observed.

Health Hands contributes to health and well-being that improves the quality of life by providing the best care to every patient through integrated AI-based symptom checker, clinical practices, online pharmacy, diagnostic laboratory, home care, and pharmacy counselling, he informed the participants.

Health Hands provides medical care to the sickest people in our community, he said, adding that this digital platform owns various features that include the provision of affordable healthcare, physicians’ consultations for all family members, health chatbot, telemedicine, online pharmacy connected with laboratory and physiotherapist online, etc.