UHS to set up mobile plasmapheresis units

LAHORE: The University of Health Sciences (UHS) in collaboration with Pakistan Myasthenic Welfare Organization (PMWO) will establish mobile plasmapheresis units for treatment of life-threatening neuromuscular disorders in its affiliated teaching hospitals in Lahore, Gujranwala and Sialkot.

These mobile units will be set up under Direct Aid Programme (DAP) of the Australian government. This was announced by UHS Vice Chancellor Prof Javed Akram here on Thursday in his address at a seminar on clinical outcome of the PMWO and Australian government collaborative plasmapheresis projects. Australian High Commission in Pakistan Margaret Adamson was the chief guest of the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Professor Javed Akram thanked the Australian government for its generous contribution for the advancement of education and health projects in Pakistan. “It is a matter of great satisfaction to learn that Australian Aid has been providing significant financial assistance to the Pakistan Myasthenic Welfare Organisation (PMWO) for provision of advance healthcare facility of plasmapheresis in Pakistan through Plasmapheresis Excellence Centres in teaching hospitals,” he said, adding “many precious lives have been saved through this treatment.”

“This is a life-saving project for rapid clinical management of patients with a variety of disorders, including those of the immune system; these include life-threatening conditions like Myasthenia Gravis, GBS, CIDP, Polyneuropathy, and other medical disorders,” the VC maintained.

Plasmapheresis is the removal, treatment, and return of (components of) blood plasma from blood circulation. It is a medical procedure performed outside the body. The method is also used during plasma donation: blood is removed from the body, blood cells and plasma are separated, the blood cells are returned while the plasma is collected and frozen to preserve it for eventual use in the manufacture of a variety of medications.

Prof Akram recollected that in 2008, as principal of the Allama Iqbal Medical College, he took personal interest for the initiation of this project at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, as many patients were dying because of the non-availability of the facility in the Lahore region.

He informed the high commissioner that during the dengue disaster of 2010-11, this was the only centre working on ground in Punjab for provision of mega unit platelets to dengue fever patients, leading to thousands of lives being saved. Australian High Commission Margaret Adamson appreciated recent launch of Sehat Insaf Cards by Prime Minister Imran Khan which would provide free health facility to around 80 million people.

She hoped that a strong civil society would emerge which could play a pivotal role in bringing peace and prosperity in the country. Margaret Adamson further said that the Australian government would continue to provide support to the people of Pakistan especially in the field of education and health. The president of PMWO, Dr Khalid Zia gave a presentation on plasmapheresis treatment in Pakistan.

seminar: The Character Building Society (CBS) of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore in collaboration with Anti-Narcotics Force Punjab and an NGO arranged a seminar on “Prevention of Drug Use in Youth”.

Prof Dr Noor-uz-Zaman Rafiq delivered a lecture to the students. He spoke about the various aspects of drug prevention and treatment, identifying harms from drug use, addiction risk factors, key risk and protective factors for drug. He also shed light on various steps being taken for the prevention of drug in youth through launching awareness campaign, declamation & poster contests, establishing anti-drug societies, sms service and to utilise electronic media to keep youth away from drugs. He said teachers and students could play a vital role in sensitising community about the harmful effects of drugs.

distinction: Punjab University is one of the examination centres for online certification with the collaboration of HEC and TEC. For the year 2018, Punjab University stood first among 100 universities in Pakistan for conducting maximum number certification in MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist).

exam schedule: Punjab University has issued schedule of admission fee & forms submission for MA/MSc part-I and part-II annual examinations 2019.

For regular candidates, the last date for submission of part-I admission forms with single fee is March (by post) and March 29 (by hand) while the forms can be submitted with double fee till April 9 (by post) and April 16 (by hand).

The last date for submission of part-II admission forms with single fee is March 14 (by post) and March 19 (by hand) while forms can be submitted with double fee till March 27 (by post) and April 4 (by hand).