Professor Tabish Hazir Award for Health Research Communication for Respiratory Policy Influence

Who was Tabish Hazir?

Professor Tabish Hazir was a respected RESPIRE member, a distinguished paediatrician, child health researcher, and a passionate advocate for children's health. He sadly passed away in December 2022 and will be greatly missed.

Serving at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for three decades, Dr Tabish established and led the Paediatric Department and the Neonatology Department, becoming a pivotal figure in the country's healthcare landscape. He played a crucial role in integrating the pneumococcal vaccine into Pakistan's Expanded Programme on Immunisation, aiming to combat pneumonia, a leading cause of child mortality. Beyond his clinical and research endeavours, Dr. Tabish was a compassionate mentor and a staunch advocate for vulnerable communities, community health workers, and equitable access to healthcare.

To honour his remarkable legacy, especially his transformative work in advocating for changes in policy and practice to enhance respiratory health, RESPIRE offered a grant to support partners in creating an innovative, evidence-informed, and impactful communication resource aimed at engaging and influencing policy stakeholders on respiratory health policy and practice in their local setting.

About the award

In September 2025, RESPIRE partner Neoventive Solutions was announced as the recipient of the award, following a competitive process open to all RESPIRE partners. Partners were invited to apply by proposing the development of a policy communication resource that aligns with and enhances their ongoing RESPIRE-funded research projects.

Fighting Pneumonia, Shaping Policy: A Legacy for Every Child

This project aimed to translate RESPIRE-generated evidence on childhood pneumonia in Pakistan into a clear, compelling communication resource for policymakers. The team produced a short documentary film that synthesised RESPIRE’s findings on pneumonia burden, caregiver perceptions, and health system gaps. The documentary uses a storytelling approach, combining research insights with real voices from a mother, a lady health worker, clinician and researcher to ensure the evidence is relatable, human-centred, and policy-relevant.