Islamabad, August 6, 2026: Islamabad Medical and Dental College (IMDC), in collaboration with Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), has launched an internationally aligned Clinical AI Healthcare Certificate Programme aimed at equipping Pakistan’s healthcare professionals with artificial intelligence and digital health competencies.
The one-month weekend certification programme has attracted a strong response from medical, dental, nursing and allied health sciences students, young doctors and other healthcare professionals seeking to develop skills required for modern clinical practice.
The programme was inaugurated by SZABMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Tanveer Khaliq, who described artificial intelligence as “the real need of the time” and praised IMDC for taking a forward-looking initiative to modernise medical education in Pakistan.
He said healthcare education across the world is rapidly evolving with the integration of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, adding that SZABMU would continue to extend its full support to IMDC in implementing the Clinical AI Healthcare Certificate Programme as well as future AI-driven academic and professional initiatives.
The certification programme has been designed and is being delivered by faculty members from Ulster University, Belfast, United Kingdom, under the leadership of Assistant Professor Dr. Usman Hadi. The curriculum has been developed in line with the evolving requirements of healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, the United States and other advanced international markets.
Speaking on the occasion, Group Chief Executive Officer of GAK HealthCare International Yasir Khan Niazi said artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming healthcare and has become an essential competency for the next generation of healthcare professionals.
“Artificial intelligence is no longer the future of healthcare; it is the present. The healthcare professionals who will lead tomorrow are those who combine clinical excellence with digital intelligence,” he said.
Yasir Khan Niazi said the programme marks the beginning of a broader strategy under which IMDC plans to introduce internationally benchmarked certifications in artificial intelligence, digital medicine and other emerging disciplines. He added that the institution also intends to progressively integrate AI into undergraduate and postgraduate medical education to ensure its graduates remain globally competitive in an increasingly technology-driven healthcare environment.
According to the organisers, the programme reflects growing international recognition of artificial intelligence as a transformative tool for healthcare. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified AI as a technology capable of strengthening health systems, improving clinical decision-making and expanding access to quality healthcare when implemented responsibly.
They noted that many advanced healthcare systems, particularly in Europe and the United Kingdom, are investing in developing AI-ready clinical workforces, and the certification programme is expected to strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to build a digitally skilled healthcare workforce equipped to meet future challenges.
