About a decade ago, I was at an all-day symposium at a university in Lahore. The chief guest was the head of a national agency in charge of nanotechnology. In his speech, he talked about why nanotechnology was the future, and since Pakistanis are bright, the future of nanotechnology was bright in Pakistan. The dean of the institution hosting the seminar, an accomplished electrical engineer and a global leader in his field, spoke right after the chief guest and asked a simple question. Can Pakistan be the leader in nanotechnology when we are nowhere on the map with microtechnology? If our fundamentals remain weak and disjointed, can we expect to lead the world in the next biggest thing?

The question, of course, was rhetorical, but one that troubled the chief guest who had not expected anything but thunderous applause. He didnt have an answer except the empty promise that Pakistan will be the hub of nanotechnology in the next decade.

That decade passed some time ago, and nothing has changed. Not because people are not capable, but because global leadership doesnt come from hollow slogans and empty promises, but through dedicated efforts of individuals and institutions built on solid foundations. What we havent learned is that the vision for science, technology, medicine or engineering cannot be based on bombastic documents, or over-the-top predictions but by meticulous work to get the basic foundation in place. Some of that work may seem boring, and not cutting edge, but is absolutely critical for any future development. Cutting edge technology doesnt come from thin air, neither does it work in a vacuum.

The utterly tragic incident in Peshawar over the weekend where a number of patients died because of lack of oxygen is a case in point. We are well past the point of having anyone take real responsibility that just doesnt happen anymore, whether people die in hospitals due to negligence or in trains. I wouldnt be surprised if in some warped statement some official blames the patient in the ICU. When it comes to responsibility, we have done much worse before.

To say that it was unacceptable is an understatement. What is even more troubling is that at a time of a national health emergency, our systems should be more robust not less so. If this can happen at one of the major hospitals, in a provincial capital, makes one worry about smaller towns and less resourced hospitals.

But there is a bigger point here. We should recognise that we have to get the basics right. And they are not right at the moment. While utterly tragic, this is not an isolated incident and shouldnt be thought so either. Our basic building blocks, of rigour, regulation and quality control are either not in place, or if they are, they are not functioning the way they should. Whether we are aiming for the moon, or saving a vulnerable life, we have to demonstrate quality control, secure the supply chain, and create a system that is resilient against negligence and human error. With a massive vaccination campaign right around the corner, we cannot let the entire system crumble because we did not get the basics right.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with aiming high and perhaps we all ought to do so. But we are likely to fall flat, and in doing so, hurt a lot of people if we do not get the fundamentals in place. We cannot continue to jump on the next bandwagon because it is now the coolest thing out there. We have to weave and stich, lest in our desire to have the fanciest dress, we may soon realise that we have no clothes.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2020.

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Getting the basics right - The Express Tribune