UHS workshop on autopsy techniques

LAHORE: The University of Health Sciences (UHS) Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Mehmood Shoukat, has said that forensic pathology is becoming a neglected field because of lack of passion among the doctors.

He was addressing the inaugural session of a three-day workshop on “Basic Techniques in Forensic Pathology”, here at UHS on Wednesday. Prof Mehmood Shaukat said that to meet the public interest, forensic pathologist had to be knowledgeable and highly skilled, the system had to be robust and the system’s immediate and long-term integrity needed to be assured.

He urged the doctors to improve their skill and do their best to revise antiquated procedures in forensic pathology. He specially stressed the need of revising autopsy techniques. Renowned pathologist, Prof AH Nagi, said that autopsy is a science. He said that forensic pathology was mandatory subject for all pathologists but now it needed to be incorporated in basic training as well.

UHS Pathology department’s head, Prof Dr Nadia Naseem, said that forensic pathology had been included as a mandatory component in PhD course work at the university. She said the main objective of the workshop was to develop a systematic approach to forensic autopsy, including evaluation of gross, microscopic, biochemical and genetic evidence.

Anti-dengue STEPS: The training courses of the newly-inducted postgraduate residents and house officers in Lahore General Hospital (LGH) on clinical management of dengue fever arranged by the Department of Medicine and Pediatrics under Health Education Programme of Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) have completed.

PGMI Principal Prof Ghiyas un Nabi Tayyab said this on Wednesday while chairing a meeting held to review the preparations to counter dengue in the current year, according to a press release issued here. He told the meeting that comprehensive arrangements had been made to combat dengue.

PHFMC: Provincial Minister for Primanry and Secondary Healthcare and Punjab Health Facilities Management Company (PHFMC) Board Chairman Khawaja Imran Nazir appreciated the management of PHFMC for implementation of Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) Minimum Health Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) at 55 BHUs across 14 PHFMC districts.

He said this while chairing a meeting of PHFMC Board on Wednesday, according to a handout issued here. The minister said two RHCs and six BHUs had got ISO certification. The MSDS/ISO certification of such primary health facilities is the first of its kind in the history of the Pakistan, he added. He announced incentive/bonus cash reward for the employees of health facilities which had got the certification.

After recommendation of the PHFMC Board, Khawaja Imran Nazir decided in principle to pay/meet 30 percent of the differential of pay of PHFMC employees with government employees with effect from May 1, 2018, for giving immediate relief to the PHFMC employees. The decision of provision of rest of 70 percent differential in their pay with government health sector employees with effect from July 1, 2018 will be taken in the next PHFMC Board meeting which was expected to be held in near future.