KU, Qarshi Foundation to establish clinics of natural medicines, healthcare services

KARACHI: The Department of Food Science and Technology of the University of Karachi and the Qarshi Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding to establish natural medicine clinics and provide healthcare services at the department.

The MoU signing ceremony was held on Wednesday at KU’s FS&T department. The KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi and the Chief Executive Officer of the Qarshi Foundation Adeel Saeed Mir inked the MoU documents.

 Adeel Mir, who is also the Chief Strategy Officer of the Qarshi Organization, briefed participants that Qarshi Foundation is pursuing its vision of an educated, healthy, and happier Pakistan, that is why Qarshi Foundation carries out social welfare activities focusing on education, health, welfare projects, and environmental conservation.

 He added that according to the World Health Organization, an estimated 88 percent of countries worldwide utilize natural medicines, including herbal remedies and traditional practices, in their healthcare systems. He stated that around 13 countries have converted their medical practices and setups to natural and herbal-based medicines.

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 Mir quoted that the global herbal medicine market was valued at US$233.08 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to US$437 billion by 2032. He mentioned that the organization is very active in Punjab and now the foundation aims to collaborate with the University of Karachi to contribute towards providing healthcare services by establishing Qarshi clinics of natural medicine on the campus to facilitate students, faculty, employees, and neighborhood surroundings.

 Adeel Mir expressed that all clinics are run freely in and outside the country and free medicines are also available to patients. He shared that the Qarshi Foundation will provide qualified, trained, and experienced natural medicine physicians (male and female) to provide healthcare services to the patients.

The KU Chairperson of the FS&T Department Dr Muhammad Abdul Haq mentioned that the students from the department’s human nutrition and dietetics program will benefit from the establishment of the clinics and healthcare services. They will gain practical experience, hands-on training, and exposure to clinical nutrition practices under the supervision of qualified professionals at the clinic.

The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi said that we used to follow western medical practices and almost ignored the advantages of natural medicines. He expressed that with the establishment of the proposed setup students and department will learn a lot. He hoped that people would also benefit from the experience of trained and qualified physicians at the clinics.

 He urged students to focus on gaining knowledge and improving their skills, as this combination will be the key to their success. The KU VC, Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi, hoped that academia-industry linkage would help solve societal problems and grow Pakistan’s economy.

Later, the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi and the CEO Qarshi Foundation Adeel Mir inaugurated the newly established clinical lab at the KU’s FS&T department.