KARACHI: Prof Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta was ranked among the top 100 scientists in medicine. 

Prof Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta from Pakistan ranks among the 100 top scientists

In the first edition of the top scientists ranking for medicine published by Research.com, one of the most comprehensive knowledge centres for medical research, AKU's Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta was one of the top 100 scientists.

The h-index, a measure of a researcher's productivity and influence and publications and citations, goes into the calculation. 

On Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph, the researchers found 166,880 scientists and over 65,743 medical profiles.

Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta is alone in the top 100 of all developing nations

Zulfiqar Bhutta is the only scientist from all developing nations in the top 100 medical scientists.

At #100, Prof. Bhutta is the lone scientist from a developing or middle-income country.

Zulfiqar Bhutta established the Centre of Excellence

Bhutta is the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Women's and Children's Health and of the Institute for Global Health.

Since its inception, one of AKU's founding faculty members, Prof. Bhutta, has been teaching at the university. 

Zulfiqar Bhutta was supported by AKU

Agakhan University and Hospital (AKU) assisted Prof Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta

Despite Pakistan's political unrest and economic instability, AKU gave him the foundation he needed to launch a distinguished career in mother and child health and nutrition research that has had national and global ramifications.

After conducting substantial outreach and research in Karachi's slums and rural parts of Pakistan between 1996 and 2002, Prof Bhutta and his colleagues at the University subsequently expanded their efforts to many another low- and middle-income countries. 

Support of the Government of Pakistan to Zulfiqar Bhutta

The Government of Pakistan also assisted Zulfiqar Bhutta

The Pakistani government has worked closely with him to evaluate the success of health care techniques and innovations in real-world situations by working with public sector community health workers during the past two decades.

A number of the sizeable community-based cluster randomized trials led by Professor Bhutta, such as the one showing that chlorhexidine for cord care among home births reduced the risk of neonatal sepsis and death and that public sector community health workers could successfully work with communities to reach those at most significant risk, and reduce perinatal mortality and maternal morbidity, have had a substantial impact on global health policy.

There have been numerous changes in the World Health Organization's policy on treating persistent diarrhoea and malnutrition as a result of his work, including establishing lady health workers (LHW) as the primary members of community-based interventions in Pakistan and other parts of Asia and Africa. 

Pakistan and Canada have collaborated intensively to develop measures to improve mother and child health and nutrition in conflict areas or emergencies. 

Particularly noteworthy is his team's work in Pakistan's tribal areas with community volunteers and health officials to enhance polio and regular vaccine coverage rates.

An award of distinction and excellence in research has been given to Prof Bhutta at AKU, making him the university's highest-ranking faculty member. 

Many international accolades and recognition have been bestowed on him.

He was recently awarded the Roux Prize for transforming evidence into health effects and the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for excellent achievements in global health research.