Karachi:The Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) and the Indus University of Health Sciences (IUHS) today officially inaugurated the 8th Biennial Conference (ICON 2026) at the IHHN Korangi Campus in Karachi on Friday. Held under the core theme “Resilient Care, Sustainable Future: Bridging Climate Action and Patient-Centered Healthcare,” the inauguration set the stage for ten days of nationwide academic, clinical, and policy dialogues.
The high-profile ceremony brought together leading national and international medical experts, researchers, and academic leaders. Dr. Syed Ahmer Hamid, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for ICON 2026, delivered the welcome address, emphasizing that climate change directly impacts health infrastructure. Referencing Karachi’s historical heatwaves that overwhelmed the city, he stressed the urgent need to transition toward human-centric, climate-resilient healthcare environments through joint interdisciplinary efforts.
Delivering the Keynote Address, former Federal Minister and WHO Director Dr. Zafar Mirza expressed delight at the launch of ICON 2026 and highlighted the critical necessity of establishing climate-ready health systems capable of withstanding environmental crises while safeguarding universal health coverage.
Chief Guest Professor Tariq Rafi, Chairman HEC Sindh, urged widespread collaboration to reform health systems, particularly highlighting the need to upgrade rural healthcare infrastructure across Pakistan. Congratulating IHHN and Dr. Abdul Bari Khan for delivering free healthcare services to the public, Prof. Tariq Rafi remarked: “We are all accountable to the Almighty, and our utmost endeavor must be to transform lives. A significant portion of Pakistan lives below the poverty line-we possess the inherent potential to change the system and reshape our society.”
Distinguished global leaders participating in the conference include Dr. Peter Schwartz, President of the International Diabetes Federation (Germany), and Dr. Naweed Imam Syed from the University of Calgary (Canada). Following the Karachi proceedings, conference tracks will expand to the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital (RTEH) Campus in Muzaffargarh on October 14, before concluding at the Jubilee Town Campus in Lahore on October 16-17, 2026.