Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research Lecture by Dr. Z. Bhutta

The McMaster University Global Health Program was honoured to host the 2023 Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research. Established in 2005 by the Friends of Canadian Institutes of Health Research (FCIHR), the Friesen Prize recognizes exceptional innovation by a visionary health leader of international stature. The 2023 Friesen Prize winner, Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta, is completing his series of lectures and visited McMaster University on February 27, 2024 to present a talk titled, “A healthy future for the world’s children, within a generation: how can we make this happen?”

Dr. Bhutta is the Founding Director of the Institute for Global Health and Development, holds the Robert Harding Inaugural Chair in Global Child Health at the Hospital for Sick Children, and is the Founding Director of the Aga Khan University’s Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health and the Institute for Global Health and Development. He holds adjunct professorships at several leading Universities globally including the Schools of Public Health at Johns Hopkins (Baltimore), George Washington University (DC), Boston University School of Public Health, University of Alberta as well as the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Dr. Bhutta is a designated Distinguished National Professor of the Government of Pakistan and Chairs the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Health, Pakistan.

During the talk, the following key themes were highlighted:

1. Understanding Global Health and Development Challenges: The lecture covered a range of topics related to global health and development challenges, including child mortality, maternal health, poverty, conflict, displacement, sustainable development goals, and COVID-19. The discussion included the complexities and interconnections of these issues–and potential solutions.
2. Addressing the Importance of Equity and Social Determinants of Health: Equity was a recurring theme, with a focus on addressing disparities in access to healthcare, resources, and opportunities. The significance of equity in achieving health and development goals, as well as understanding how social determinants such as poverty, ethnicity, and displacement influence health outcomes were reflected.
3. Recognizing the Role of Research, Data, and Evidence-Based Practice: The importance of research, data collection, evidence-based approaches, and translating research findings into practice were shared using key examples.

The Global Health program would like to extend gratitude to Dr. Bhutta and the FCIHR for the opportunity to learn from and have conversations about such important topics.