‘First-ever brain surgery in Khairpur’

Khairpur Medical College principal admits to the appointment of diploma holder as head of the department of ophthalmology

SUKKUR: Dr Mashoor Alam, principal of the Khairpur Medical College, told a press conference at his office that the doctors of the Khairpur Medical College, Safdar Hussain Arain and Mukhtiar, had successfully performed the first-ever brain surgery in the history of Khairpur. 

He said that he had been trying his level best to get recognition from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council for the Khairpur Medical College. Dr Alam said that the PMDC had canceled the registration of the college. 

Responding to questions, the principal of the college said that the secretary of health was the chairman of the selection committee for appointing professors and assistant professors while he was just a member of the committee and said that they had written a letter to the Sindh Public Service Commission and the HEC for deputing some of their officials as members of the selection committee, but they refused. 

Dr Alam said that the committee had the mandate of the chief minister, and the health minister had conducted the interviews.  He said that the committee’s not considering local doctors for the positions of professors and assistant professors was the prerogative of the experts.

Dr Alam admitted that two assistant professors had been appointed in the surgery department of the college without the college having advertised the vacancies. 

When he was asked why he was not giving sufficient time to the college, he said that establishing a new college was not an easy matter, and that he had to go to Karachi frequently for getting funds and holding meetings.

Responding to the question regarding appointment of a diploma holder as the head of the department of ophthalmology, the principal of the college could not hold back his laughter and said that it was not his decision, but it had been done on the wish of a former chief minister of Sindh because the beneficiary happened to be his son. 

When asked why the recently appointed professors and assistant professors were reluctant to join the college, he said that some seven assistant professors had joined the college in various departments and others would very soon join their posts. 

Meanwhile, neurosurgeon Safdar Arain and Dr Mukhtiar said that  the maiden brain surgery of the college had been performed on a 65-year-old patient who was doing fine.