Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41084014›Full record

ArticleBMC proceedings2025

Non-communicable diseases prevention and control in Pakistan: recommendations from policy and public health experts.

Samina Akhtar, Namra Aziz, Farhala Baloch, Zeerak Jarrar, Shahid Khan, Sawera Hanif, Sana Qamar, Muhammad Imran, Maria Khattak, Safia Awan and 3 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC proceedings, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07676214 (Faisalabad Initiative of Research and Management of NCDs), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07676214 not yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Faisalabad Initiative of Research and Management of NCDs

Typeobservational_patient_registrySponsorGetz PharmaRan2026 to 2027Enrolled3,000ConditionsDiabete Mellitus, Hypertension, Hypercholerolemia, Obesity (Disorder)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Samina AkhtarAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan. samina.yousanaf@aku.edu.
Namra AzizAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Farhala BalochAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Zeerak JarrarAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Shahid KhanAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Sawera HanifAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Sana QamarAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Muhammad ImranAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Maria KhattakKhyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan.
Safia AwanAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Aysha AlmasAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Ayeesha KamalAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.
Zainab SamadAga Khan University, Stadium Road, PO Box 3500, Karachi, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNon-communicable diseases (NCD) represent a significant and growing global health challenge, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Pakistan. Despite their profound public health and economic implications, efforts to address NCD remain fragmented and insufficient. Collaborative platforms play a crucial role in fostering innovation and shaping policies to tackle this crisis effectively. Addressing the significant gaps in NCD initiatives and interventions in LMICs, particularly in Pakistan, the Aga Khan University (AKU), organized a one-day symposium, AKUPI NCDs Research Symposium: A Dialogue on NCDs. This symposium convened policy makers and public health experts from both local and international institutions. This paper synthesizes expert recommendations from a national symposium designed to identify actionable strategies for NCD prevention and control in Pakistan.

methodsFive expert panel discussions were conducted on themes critical for Pakistan: cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, mental health, economic perspectives, and sustainable urban design. The discussions were transcribed and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework.

findingsThe analysis of discussions from over 30 national and international experts yielded 23 distinct themes. Key recommendations included: 1) Legislating a National NCD Act to establish dedicated units; 2) Shifting resources from tertiary to primary prevention, including integrating CVD risk assessment into existing Lady Health Worker programs; 3) Implementing task-shifting for mental health first aid; 4) Launching targeted, community-co-designed anti-stigma campaigns; and 5) Mandating sustainable urban design principles like the '3-30-300' rule. A critical gap was the absence of dedicated NCD units within the health system and a national policy for NCD and mental health.

conclusionThe symposium achieved a multi-sectoral expert consensus on a prioritized agenda. These insights provide a clear roadmap for policymakers, emphasizing that effective NCD control requires moving beyond siloed healthcare interventions to address broader social, economic, and environmental determinants through concrete, context-specific policies.

Indexed as

Cardiovascular diseasesMental healthNon-communicable diseasesPanel discussionPolicy recommendationPrimary prevention

Identifiers

PMID41084014
PMCPMC12519595

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.