2. Why Health Research Hub (HRH)?
Madinah aspires to regain the lost status as City of Great
Knowledge & Economic Activity by becoming modern day
Knowledge Economic City (KEC)
Research as systematic process of generating and/or value
adding knowledge is linked with knowledge part of the KEC,
whereas, Health is connected to quality of life, productivity
and economic activity – the economic part of the KEC
Hence understandably Madinah as a Muslim Sanctuary need
to be developed as HRH of Muslim Ummah. Muslim Countries
around the world owe allegiance to Madinah and may be
conveniently related to HRH Madinah as its Spokes. It’s
mutually symbiotic and therefore potentially sustainable
3. Objectives of HRH
1. Establish a Health Research Hub (HRH) at KEC Madinah (to
which various R&D Disciplines related Centers of
Excellence, spread throughout Muslim countries shall be
related as its Spokes) with the objects of:
institutionalizing medical & health research focused on
generating evidence to highlight the impact of Islamic living
(thoughts, values & practices) on physical, mental & social
health
create a resource for evolving & communicating
consultation based consensus Islamic standpoint on
classical, contemporary and emerging health and social
issues & problems
4. HRH: Objectives …
2. To generate, manage & translate knowledge into
development by evolving mechanisms for human
and institutional development particularly in the
Muslim world
3. To develop HRH as one of the lead learning
organization in global health research and
development
4. To create awareness and ownership among
developing Muslim world countries for the KEC
Madinah & HRH
5. HRH: Developing a Framework
1. Situational analysis
PESTE (political, economic, socio-cultural, technological
and environmental) analysis to:
- review the current status, capabilities, challenges &
risks likely to be encountered while developing the HRH
at KEC Madinah
- identify factors that may act as potential strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the initiative
at local, national and international levels
6. Framework …
2. Respecting & Maintaining the Non-controversial
sacred status of Madinah by:
Due representation at HRH of the stakeholders/ scientists
from various schools of thought
Empowered, participatory and consultative work styles at
policy, strategic and operational levels
Culture of tolerance & respect for differences of opinion
Institutionalizing openness to reach out consensus
decisions through evidence based dialogue & discourse
- Equitable distribution of R&D benefits among Muslim
Ummah
7. Framework …
3. Sustainability
Identifying and bringing in the best Muslim talent
in various disciplines (creating HR Directories of
Muslim Ummah)
Capacity building for R&D
a) utilizing the existing talents for R&D activities on
one hand, and capacity building of the team
members on the other together with knowledge &
skills updating mechanisms for all
b) broadening the capacity base by adding new
expertise, areas & sub areas
8. c) Integrating R&D studies into undergraduate &
postgraduate student curricula
d) Developing partnerships with public & private
sectors for R&D
e) Encouraging multi-center, multi-ethnic & multi-
cultural collaborations for R&D
f) Participation in global health research
9. Financial Sustainability:
The commitment exhibited by KSA for KEC in terms of
massive financial inputs needs to be sustained through
burden sharing by Ummah in the form of:
- Creating an R&D Fund at HRH
- Supporting commercialization of KEC products &
services
- Drawing up joint R&D priorities to be meted out of the
Fund
All the activities of R&D Fund need to be
Riba free
10. Continued Commitment:
- Attempts at mobilizing all stake holders through:
a) communication
b) fair treatment
c) equitable distribution of R&D benefits
d) agreed mechanisms for conflict prevention &
resolution
Need to remember that actions speak louder
than words. Mere location of KEC & HRH at
Madinah may not suffice to prevent conflicts
11. 4. Culture of Consultation
Consultation (the Islamic institution of Shoora) is now a
globally recognized tool in R&D functions.
It is a facility for:
1. Developing new ideas & updating the existing
2. Experience sharing that promotes personal, organizational
and social development
3. Creating tolerance, trust, participation, and ownership
thus contributing to sustainability
4. Better communication and context understanding to
prevent and resolve conflicts
Consultation needs to be institutionalized at KEC to harvest
its ceaseless benefits
12. 5. Defining Roles & Responsibilities
The respective roles of HRH and its Spokes must be
very clear for:
- Smooth operation
- Efficiency & effectiveness
- Coordination & integration
- Conflict prevention
13. 6. Ensuring Organizational Dynamism:
An organizational setup based on ‘functional
integration yet administrative
Decentralization’ is expected to create a
dynamic system with certain degree of
autonomy and flexibility to make
management responsive to local needs and
context
14. 7. Knowledge Management
Knowledge generated by HRH needs to be
translated into development. This will require
designing and establishing proper ICT based system
of knowledge management
15. The most important
Sanctity of Holy City of Madinah must be respected
and maintained at all costs. The religious, socio-
cultural, environmental and e-pollution related
hazards need to be safeguarded against at outset
and later throughout
16. Acknowledgements
Prof. Najibul Haq, Dean Peshawar Medical College (PMC),
Pakistan
Prof. Hafeez -ur- Rahman, Vice Dean Academics, PMC
Dr Ayesha S. Abdullah, Vice Dean Medical Education &
Research, PMC
Dr Tahir Nadeem Khan, Director M&E, DoH, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan
