Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

The Aga Khan hospital in Dar es Salaam has redesigned its outpatient services to improve patient flow, improve quality and reduce waiting time according to a press release. The hospital, the release elaborated, has been using techniques developed in the U.S to improve the quality of healthcare services whereby each stage of treatment is examined.

Nairobi, Kenya: The Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa has become the first health institution in the Aga Khan network in East Africa to perform open heart surgery. A 43-year-old woman and a 20 year-old man underwent the operation free of charge on Saturday. The development follows the acquisition of a Sh60 million heart - lung machine which was unveiled at the hospital yesterday. The machine was donated by the Medical and Educational Aid to Kenya Foundation.

Prince Karim Aga Khan, spiritual leader of Ismailis, will undertake a visit of Pakistan in the first week of December, Ismaili Council sources said on Monday. Prince Karim is likely to meet the President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. The prince will also attend the convocation of the Aga Khan University in Karachi and award degrees to the medical graduates. -APP

As part of a major modernisation programme, the Aga Khan Hospital - Nairobi has opened an improved Accident and Emergency Centre which is separate from the walk-in Family Centre. Patients suffering from severe injuries caused by accidents, or acute chest pains, heart attacks, and seizures will be attended to within seconds at the Centre after ringing the bell at the entrance.

The Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, arrives here on Tuesday at the start of an official visit to Pakistan. During his stay, he will hold discussions with President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and other senior government officials.

Sunday Nation - Kenya - A private state-of-the art health wing of Nairobi's Aga Khan Hospital was opened yesterday. The Princess Zahra Pavilion is a prestigious in-patient centre named after Princess Zahra, the eldest daughter of the Aga Khan. Built at a cost of Sh1.2 billion, the 61-bed wing has eight executive suites, with a private entrance and lift. All its rooms are air-conditioned, with ensuite bathrooms and satellite TV. Also included is a mini-fridge. The rooms will be used for specific purposes, such as labour delivery, recovery and postmortem services.

The Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) intends to build a centre of excellence in Tanzania which will teach, among other subjects, computer and language skills and physical education. AKES will also build similar centres in Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Bangladesh, India, Mozambique, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan: Following critically acclaimed concerts in North America and Europe, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble brought their unique fusion of ancient Silk road traditions and western classical music to the heart of the Silk road: in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Dushanbe, Tajikistan. 'For many years, I have felt that traditional music played such a critical role in the cultures of Central Asia that it deserved attention and assistance,' Prince Karim Aga Khan remarked.

His Highness the Aga Khan,Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, today announced the first Ismaili Centre to be built in the Middle East.

Kampala - THE Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismailia Muslim sect, wants to invest in Uganda's energy sector, particularly the Bujagali hydro electric power project. High level sources said the Aga Khan, who has often visited Uganda and met President Yoweri Museveni, says he is ready to inject $20m as equity in the delayed project. He was last here in February.

LAHORE: The government led by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali has undertaken a record privatisation of Rs4 billion in its initial months which is unprecedented as compared to any previous track record , said Privatisation Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh. Prince Karim Aga Khan who visited Pakistan only recently has also shown interest in HBL, he said. He added that efforts were being made to attract bidders also from Malaysia and the Middle East.

The Times of Central Asia: Prince Karim Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, on Wednesday called on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other international financial institutions to 'look in depth at the problems that should be addressed in supporting non-commercial civil society institutions.'

The Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa is a pioneer of a planned network of schools offering an international curriculum in primary and secondary school, according to the Aga Khan Education Services in Kenya. Similar schools will be set up in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Syria, Kyrghyzstan, Tajikistan and later in Afghanistan.

Maputo (AIM) - Political and economic stability in Mozambique for the last 10 years makes the country one of the most important reference points for investment in Africa, said in Maputo on Wednesday Princess Zahra Aga Khan, who arrived in Maputo for a two day official visit.

On 13th December, the Aga Khan will be present at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Ismaili Centre in Dubai which, when completed, will be comparable in scope and standing to existing major centres in London, Vancouver and Lisbon, the one underway in Dushanbe, and the one in an advanced planning stage in Toronto.

Daily Nation: The Aga Khan Development Network has been praised in London for its 'outstanding work' in Kenya. In a debate in the House of Lords on Monday night, which discussed a whole range of development issues across East Africa, Baroness Rawlings said the Network was one of the 'finest organisations' in the field of development assistance. 'The AKDN comprises private development agencies to improve living conditions and opportunities in East Africa and other specific regions of the developing world,' Baroness Rawlings said.

Aga Khan arrives in Islamabad (Chitral 03 Dec 03) Prince Karim Aga Khan arrived in Islamabad Tuesday evening. Chitral is teeming with Ismailis from all over not only Pakistan but from Iran, Afghanistan Turkmenistan, South Africa etc.

BISHKEK. The Kyrgyz government will transfer several loss making enterprises to the Prince Aga Khan Fund for rehabilitation under an agreement signed last year that Kyrgyzstan's lower house of parliament has ratified. First Deputy Finance Minister Emirlan Toromyrzayev told Interfax this would include enterprises in the mining, textile, pharmaceutical and other manufacturing industries that has received loans under government guarantees and are having financial problems.

As an overcast sky over Chitral clears up early morning, HH Prince Karim Aga Khan is to depart for Chitral from Islamabad to reach here at 0945 Hrs. From the Airport he would fly in a Helicopter to Garam Chashma where he would address a large gathering of his followers.

Zahid Sardar, Chronicle Design Editor - As the nation's attention focuses on war with Iraq, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (the triennial equivalent of the Pritzker Prize) helps to build a deeper appreciation of large and small structures from the Islamic world. The award, now in its ninth cycle, was begun in 1977 by the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of a small sect of Muslims, and is now run under the aegis of his Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Geneva.

KARACHI: At least two knowledgeable ruling politicians and a few senior Pakistani officials are crediting intense background efforts of spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, Prince Karim Aga Khan, for diplomatic breakthrough between Islamabad and New Delhi that in the past few days again ignited hope of a durable peace.

Asia-Plus news agency, Dushanbe. Prince Aga Khan, Rahmonov and members of an Afghan delegation led by the special envoy of the chairman of the transitional government, Public Works Minister Dr Abdollah Ali, will attend the opening ceremony of a bridge across the River Panj in Tem village in the region's Shughnon District on 3 November.

THE AGA Khan last week expressed cautious optimism about the future of certain parts of Africa. Speaking at the conclusion of a visit to Madagascar in the course of a working tour of East Africa, he said, 'A fresh approach to ethics in public life and in the private sector, an improved recognition of the inherent pluralism of contemporary societies, and increased opportunity to build high competence in the sectors of greatest need, are features of the new horizons that I see in Africa today.'

Astana, Kazakhstan - '- We started with the program of extended education - this program is for those people, for specialists who already work, and posses a profession,' said Prince Karim Aga Khan, President of Aga Khan

Aga Khan to build US $25-million hotel in Kabul- The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, a for-profit arm of the philantropic Aga Khan Development Network, is rebuilding a US $25-million hotel in the Afghan Capital of Kabul, investing in Kyrgyzstan and providing loans to mountain farmers in Tajikistan.