Introductions
Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard
Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology (BIDE) has been involved in various research projects since its establishment in 1996. The Research Department of BIDE came into existence in the year 1999 when Prof. Abdul Basit's comprehensive vision clothed itself into action. In January 1999, BIDE opened a medical research department pioneering research activities in the field of diabetes in Pakistan. In the beginning, it operated as a single room but was gradually transformed into a full functioning Research Unit after the appointment of Prof. Rubina Hakeem as Honorary Research Consultant. It has now fully developed a research unit consisting of Director Research, Honorary Research Consultants, Research Associates, Statisticians, and Research Coordinators.
From the platform of the Research Department, Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Hydrie was awarded the Gold Medal by the Pakistan Academy of Medical Science (PAMS) on his research paper.
Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal Hydrie and Dr. Asher Fawwad who were the 1st position holders of the Diploma in Diabetology of their respective batches also did their M.Phil. in Biochemistry from Baqai Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan. Later on, Dr. Hydrie did their Ph.D. in Primary Prevention of diabetes from the University of Oslo, Norway and Dr. Asher Completed his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Baqai Medical University, Karachi-Pakistan.
Up till now, the Research department can produce 225 plus publications in international and national indexed peer-reviewed journals. Around 85 research studies have been in ongoing (write-up/analysis/recruitment) phases. The department has participated in various international and national conferences through more than 300 oral and poster presentations.
In the year 2007 Prof. Abdul Basit’s oral presentation at International Symposium on Diabetic Foot (ISDF), held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, was awarded first prize among sixty speakers from all over the world. In 2011 Dr. Zahid Miyan’s Poster Presentation at the 6th International Symposium on Diabetic Foot (ISDF), held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, was awarded second prize among more than 200 posters from more than 80 countries.
Based on the research publications in the year 2012, present the derivation and validation of a risk prediction algorithm for assessing the risk of developing type 2 DM amongst the Pakistani population by the name of RAPID (Risk Assessment of Pakistani individuals for diabetes). This scoring system is based on variables that are readily available to people without needing laboratory tests and physician interpretation thereby making it cost-effective for national screening programs at the primary care level.
In the year 2016-17, the Second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016-2017 was done in all four provinces of Pakistan. This led to a collaboration of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, PHRC, DAP, and Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology, Baqai Medical University, to conduct the second NDSP with the help of Seventeen teaching hospitals and/or diabetes centers.
The Research Department of BIDE in collaboration with DAP and Heath-RAB initiated the Diabetes Registry of Pakistan (DROP) in 2016 to have a nationwide database for this important NCD (27). So far, data of around 60,000 individuals have been entered. Our registry has already started to be considered as one of the model registries for diabetes for the LMICs by various national and international stakeholders.
The research department of BIDE is maintaining an electronic database of patients with diabetes on a specialized Health care Management Software (HMS). So far data of more than 70,000 patients with diabetes and around 10,000 patients with diabetic foot have been explored in the following areas of interest:
