‘Efforts underway to address shortage of medical specialists’

LAHORE : Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said that Punjab government is striving to address the shortage of specialists in medical fields like emergency medicine and to increase seats in such specialties.

He encouraged the fellow students and their families to continue serving ailing humanity, as purpose of their lives and assuring CPSP of the government’s full support and patronage.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique expressed these views on Thursday while addressing the 57th convocation of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) awarding degrees to 970 specialists, including 807 fellows and 163 members.

Prof Andrew Elder, President of the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, Pakistan’s first female General Officer, Lt Gen Nigar Johar, and Prof SMM Niyas, President of the College of Surgeons Sri Lanka were among the guests of honour.

Dr Asad Rahim, CPSP Regional Director from Birmingham, England also graced the event.

CPSP officials from all four provinces, heads of medical institutions, prominent figures from the medical field, including Dr. Amjad Saqib, Prof Akhter Sohail Chughtai, Prof Abdul Majeed Chaudhry, Maj. Gen Salman, Prof. Fareed Zafar, Prof Tariq Iqbal Bhutta, Prof Mukhtar Hasan Randhawa, Prof Khalil Rana and the parents of the graduate also attended the convocation.

Senior Vice President of CPSP, Prof Dr. Khalid Masood Gondal, administered the oath to the participants, urging them to uphold their pledge and commitment to serving humanity in their professional lives.

CPSP President Prof M Shoaib Shafi, in his welcoming address, highlighted the college’s national and international contributions and congratulated the Fellows and their families on their achievements. He proposed to the government an increase in seats for postgraduate students and recommended continuing the postgraduate medical education program at the district level, emphasising the importance of emergency medicine and ensuring quality patient care in major hospitals.

Three renowned international medical figures – Prof Andrew Elder from UK, Prof SMM Niyas from Sri Lanka, and Prof Afzal Javed from UK – were awarded honorary fellowships by the CPSP President.

Dr. M Sultan-ul-Mozzam received the Prof Zafarullah Chaudhry gold medal in Gen Surgery, and Dr. Fatima Nawaz Khan was awarded the Prof Ambreen Afzal Ehsan gold medal in prosthodontics.