Peshawar: The Khyber Medical University has decided to establish a centre for research on herbal medicines, for which Rs30 million have been provided by the Senator of Awami National Party, Haji Mohammad Adeel.

A meeting of KMU Senate, held here on Tuesday with Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani in the chair, was told that the new centre would be named after Adeel's father late Hakim Abdul Jalil Nadvi.

The governor asked the KMU to go ahead with its vision 2015 development plans both in respect of its academic and research studies as well as construction of infrastructural facilities.

The establishment of Pakistan Research Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology and Research Institute of Hepatology and Lever Transplant are the most prominent targets of the plan as its constituent institution in this respect will also have a 100-bed specialised hospital and research centre. The hospital and research centre would be completed with a cost of Rs600 million, said a handout.

"This is an institution of great importance to provide better health facilities to the people and there is a need to extend every possible financial support for its future development," the governor said.

The meeting besides Secretary to Governor Sikandar Qayyum, Secretary Health Dr Suhail Altaf, Special Secretary Establishment Farid Qureshi and other officials concerned was also attended by MPA Dr Faiza Bibi and KMU Vice-chancellor Prof Mohammad Hafizullah.

The meeting noted with appreciation that the university, apart from all the public sector medical colleges also allowed its affiliation to certain private medical colleges.

The meeting also approved fresh inductions in the academic council as well as appointments against senior faculty and administrative slots; actual budget for the year 2009-2010 and the budgetary estimates for the year 2010-2011.

The meeting was informed that almost 20 scholars were already engaged in their MPhil studies, leading to PhD degrees under the aegis of the university. Dawn