FJMU’s Annual Scientific Symposium begins

LAHORE : The Annual Scientific Symposium of Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU) commended here at Fatima Jinnah Medical University on Saturday, which was jointly organised by FJMU, Fatima Jinnah Medical College Alumni Association of North America (FJMCAANA) and King Edward Medical College Alumni Association (KEMCAA-UK) under the patronage of FJMU Vice Chancellor Prof Khalid Masood Gondal.

In the opening ceremony, medical experts from the United Kingdom including President King Edward Medical College Alumni Association (UK) Dr Tabinda Dugal, Dr M Tufail, Dr Athar Ahmad Saeed, Dr M Shafiq Gul and Dr Warda Shafi graduate of Fatima Jinnah Medical University (UK), graced the conference as special guests.

Former SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, President Pakistan Medical Association Prof Ashraf Nizami, Member FBR Dr Hamid Atiq, Dr Arshad Taqi, Prof Mahmood Shoukat, Prof Farooq Afzal, Dr Afzal Alam, Dr Tariq Gohar delivered lectures on various topics and responded the questions of the participants.

VC FJMU Prof Khalid Masood Gondal as Patron in Chief of the Annual Scientific Symposium, Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Shamsa Humayun as Chairperson Organising Committee, Dean Undergraduates Prof Muniza Qayyum as Co-Chairperson Organising Committee, Chairperson Department of Medicine Prof Bilqis Shabbir as Secretary Organising Committee, Registrar Prof M Nadeem, Deans Prof Munazza Iqbal, Prof Abdul Hameed, Prof Zohra Khanum and Principal Prof Noreen Akmal as members of the Organising Committee welcomed the guests.

The experts’ panel informed the participants about their experiences and research during the COVID pandemic and held a comprehensive discussion on the preventive measures in the future.

On the first day of the conference, various sessions were held in four different halls with good participation of the doctors on different topics like Intensive Care Unit Management, Obesity, Malnutrition, Bariatric Surgery, Newborn Hearing Screening/Teaching Deaf Children, Various Ear Diseases including Deafness, Breast Cancer and Uterine/Cervical Cancer, Medical Education and Public Health discussed.

On behalf of Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Prof Khalid Masood Gondal chaired the Critical Care Session, Prof Shamsa Humayun chaired the Nutrition/Hearing Session, Prof Zohra Khanum chaired the session on Breast Cancer and Cervical Screening and Prof Muniza Qayyum presided over the Occupational Health and General Practitioner session.

The concluding session was presided over by Prof Khalid Masood Gondal. During this session, there was a detailed discussion regarding the experiences, achievements, research and future action plan and guidelines for COVID.

Dr Faisal Sultan said that he got an opportunity to render services on behalf of the Federal Government's Health Department. During the COVID Pandemic, efforts were made for its prevention and treatment, as much as possible, at the Government Level. He further said that taking a decision at that time and then its implementation, were the most essential thing.

Prof Khalid Masood Gondal while expressing his views regarding COVID pandemic, said that with the help of Webinar and Telemedicine, we fought the COVID pandemic and in this regard the World Health Organisation also expressed satisfaction over the prevention of COVID in Pakistan, worldwide. He further added that during the COVID pandemic, the situation in Pakistan was relatively stable as compared to the other neighboring countries and the credit goes to the Government of Pakistan and the Government of Punjab. Apart from this, he also appreciated the services of frontline Doctors, Paramedics and Nurses who sacrificed their lives and also the Pakistani Nation, who exhibited discipline in a unique way during COVID.

Dr Hamid Atiq said that during the COVID, the lack of oxygen and vaccination were the key challenges, in which we got success. In response to a question, Dr Faisal Sultan said that we have vaccinated more than 23 lac people in a day.

At the end of the ceremony, Vice Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Professor Khalid Masood Gondal thanked all the Distinguished Guests from core of his heart and distributed Honorary Shields to the International Experts from the United Kingdom and America and other Distinguished Guests.