Pakistani doctor Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta has been appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the highest civilian honours of the country for his exceptional contributions to global health, according to a statement issued by a private hospital.
The Order of Canada is presented to people who make “extraordinary contributions to the nation”, according to the honour site.
The Order was established in 1967, Canada’s centennial year, and has been awarded to more than 7,600 people from all fields of society and they made varying contributions to the country.
This year, 88 personalities from all walks of life — from actors to health workers — were included in the Order.
24 of the 88 were inducted in the Order as officers and Dr Bhutta has made it amongst them.
Dr Bhutta’s groundbreaking research and leadership in maternal, newborn, and child health have improved the lives of millions worldwide, particularly in underserved and marginalised communities.
“I am greatly honoured by this recognition and deeply grateful to a generation of students and colleagues who have worked with me over the years on challenges of women and children in Pakistan and other low-income countries,” said Dr Bhutta.
The work of the maternal and child health care scpecialist has impacted public health policies from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to programmes in marginalised communities and countries.