The Critical Care Research Group (CCRG), Ziauddin University, hosted the landmark ‘Preparedness in Practice – CCP Retreat 2026,’ a first-of-its-kind national gathering today aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s readiness for future epidemics and pandemics through collaboration, clinical research, and coordinated response mechanisms.
The retreat brought together leading clinicians, researchers, infectious disease experts, microbiologists, public health professionals, and institutional leaders from across Pakistan to discuss lessons learned from COVID-19 and other outbreaks, identify existing gaps, and develop collaborative strategies for future preparedness.
A major highlight of the retreat was the official launch of the Pakistan Research Network for Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness (PREPP), a national collaborative platform designed to enable rapid clinical research during outbreaks through harmonised systems for data collection, sharing, and analysis.
Introducing the vision of the PREPP network, Prof. Dr. Madiha Hashmi and Dr. Osama Rehman Khalid highlighted the urgent need for coordinated preparedness mechanisms in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Madiha Hashmi, Professor and Chair, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Ziauddin University, stated that a network like PREPP builds trust among collaborators. She emphasised that no single person, specialty, or institution can fight epidemics alone, adding that collaboration and coordination are the only way forward. She further explained that the transdisciplinary PREPP network aims to promote pre-approved protocols, anonymised data sharing, and shared biobanking to strengthen outbreak research capacity nationwide.
Dr. Osama Rehman Khalid, Assistant Professor and Infectious Diseases Consultant, Ziauddin University, emphasised the importance of integrating research into routine healthcare systems, stating that clinical research should become part of routine medical practice so that health systems are prepared before emergencies arise. He added that the strength of global outbreak response lies in local preparedness.
Experts discussed experiences related to COVID-19, dengue outbreaks, diagnostics, molecular pathology, sampling, biobanking, and clinical research coordination.
During the panel discussion on ‘Pandemic Preparedness in Pakistan,’ leading experts stressed the importance of institutional coordination, adaptable infrastructure, data sharing, regulatory facilitation, and investment in research culture.
Dr. Summiya Nizamuddin, President of the Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Society of Pakistan (MMIDSP) and Consultant Clinical Microbiologist at SKMCHand RC, noted that pandemic preparedness requires institutional support and dedicated resources. Dr. Nosheen Nasir, Associate Professor and Section Head of Adult Infectious Diseases at Aga Khan University, emphasised the need for multidisciplinary coordination and real-time, research-based information systems.
Dr. Zahra Hasan, Professor and Section Head of Molecular Pathology at Aga Khan University, highlighted the importance of adaptable infrastructure and responsible, anonymised data sharing for effective research collaboration. Dr. Zeeshan Ali, Professor of Medicine at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and Jinnah Sindh Medical University, observed that the COVID-19 pandemic created opportunities to strengthen healthcare systems, improve ICU capacity, and develop trained healthcare management professionals.
Dr. Farah Asif, Research Administrator and Head of the Clinical Research Office at SKMCHand RC, emphasised the importance of collaboration and preparedness in strengthening Pakistan’s outbreak response systems. She noted that there has been significant progress in regulatory processes for accelerated and expedited review of research proposals. She added, ‘We prepare between epidemics. We need to break silos and start talking to each other because we have a voice that cannot be ignored.’
Dr. Ayesha Siddiqui, DPhil student at the University of Oxford, highlighted the importance of institutional reform and responsibility, stating that we can only change what is within our control – our own institutional systems.
The CCP Retreat 2026 marked an important step towards building a coordinated, research-driven, and resilient healthcare preparedness framework for Pakistan.
The retreat also featured keynote addresses and collaborative discussions from leading healthcare and research institutions across Pakistan.
Speakers at the retreat included Dr. Saima Faisal, Clinical Research Officer, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore; Dr. Iffat Khanum, Assistant Professor and Infectious Diseases Consultant, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi; Dr. Aneela Kidwai, Professor of Medicine, KMDC and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi; Dr. Hijab Batool, Consultant Pathologist, Chughtai Institute of Pathology, Lahore; Dr. Shireen Shah, Research Medical Officer, South City Hospital, Karachi; and Mr. Elisha Shalim, Clinical Research Associate, Sindh Infectious Disease and Research Center, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, who shared insights on outbreak preparedness, clinical research coordination, diagnostics, infectious diseases, and strengthening collaborative healthcare response systems in Pakistan.