Adib Rizvi bags prestigious medical award

The country's iconic surgeon and philanthropist Prof Adib Rizvi has been conferred the prestigious award of British Medical Journal for his meritorious services and contribution in the field of medical sciences of the South Asian region, said a press release issued on Monday.

BMJ (British Medical Journal) is a leading British medical journal being published for more than a century honours medical professionals, researchers and medical intuitions every year for carrying out exceptional services in the world of medical sciences.

The Special Recognition Award recognizing services were held at a ceremony held in New Delhi recently where Dr Sanjay Nagra, Co-Chair of the BMJ Advisor Board, conferred the award. He read out citation paying rich tributes to Dr Rizvi and highlighted his pioneering role in establishing a model of equitable and accessible healthcare system in a developing country like Pakistan by introducing a unique model of partnership between the government and the community. In his tributes, the co-chair also commended Rizvi's unwavering commitment to delivering free and high quality medical treatment to population at large with respect and dignity and without any discrimination of cast, color or religion.

Dr Nagra received the award on behalf of Dr Adib Rizvi, who spoke to audience on Zoom and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to journal for its immense contribution towards the promotion of medical education and allied research.

He asked the editorial board to support and encourage other health institutions in the region to replicate the model SIUT for the betterment of health care of population at large. He said political animosities should be set aside for the betterment and well-being of the deprived population.

The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, established in the Civil Hospital Karachi by Dr Adib Rizvi and his colleagues some five decades ago, has now emerged as a state of the art medical institution of the country with a special focus on the field of urology, nephrology, transplant and other branches of related. Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, another paediatrician from Pakistan, also spoke along with Kamran Abbasi, Editor BMJ, who also attended the event on Zoom.