Use of artificial intelligence in disease diagnose highlighted

LAHORE:The inaugural ceremony of the annual conference of medical, educational, research and training was held at Fatima Jinnah Medical University.

Fatima Jinnah Medical University and Fatima Jinnah Medical College, in collaboration with the Alumni Association of North America and the UK, organised the moot under the leadership of Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal.

Punjab Health Minister Prof Dr Javed Akram, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Prof Aamir Zaman Khan, Prof Mahmood Ayaz, Dr Shehla Javed Akram, Prof Akbar Chaudhry, Prof Aftab Chaudhry, Farrukh Ali Shah, and Prof Nighat Mir attended the event as Guests of Honour.

President of the Fatima Jinnah Medical College Alumni Association of North America, Dr Hibba Haider, former President Dr Fizza Rafiq & Dr Fauzia Anwar, and Dr Warda Tariq Shafi from the Fatima Jinnah Medical College Alumni Association of UK participated as special guests.

Prof Aamir Zaman delivered a detailed lecture on competency-based medical education.

Prof Naveed Saeed, Chief Scientist, University of Calgary, Canada, delivered a lecture on the use of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education. He said the use of artificial intelligence in the medical sciences is very important. He added that there is a huge potential of Artificial Intelligence in the healthcare sector. Our human brain has unique properties that cannot be matched by artificial intelligence. In the welcome address, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal informed about the establishment of the Thalassemia Institute and the Fatima Jinnah Institute of Mother and Child Health and the recent ranking of the university. He informed that Artificial Intelligence cannot replace medical experts but provides support to clinicians and doctors to diagnose diseases.

He also acknowledged the contribution of Fatima Jinnah Alumni Associations in the relief activities carried out in the flood affected areas in 2022. Dr Mahmood Ayaz, Vice-Chancellor of King Edward Medical University, said that Alumni Associations are the treasurers of any institution.

Syed Farrukh Ali Shah said that it is our prime duty to contribute to Pakistan with diligence, dedication, and passion. He further said that by using Artificial Intelligence, we could facilitate the treatment of deadly diseases like cancer.

Prof Aamir Zaman Khan said that the Alumni Associations of Fatima Jinnah Medical University are very active & vibrant and are playing an active role in the up-gradation of the university and the hospital.

Prof Dr Javed Akram said that Alumni Associations play the role of Pakistan's Ambassador abroad. He said that the Health Informatics Department would be established at FJMU soon. Knowing the skills of Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence is very important for the doctors of today's time.

The caretaker Punjab government started the work of construction and development of hospitals. The government is providing packages for poor and needy patients; going to start the project of establishment of a Community Centre, initially in the form of a Clinical Trial Unit. If successful, then such clinics will be set up all across Pakistan, he added.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony for the Community Centre Project was also held on this occasion.