Eminent diabetologist Prof Samad Shera is no more

Eminent diabetologist and the honorary president of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), Prof Dr Abdus Samad Shera, passed away at his residence in Karachi on Monday after a brief illness. He was 85.

Prof Shera had undergone a heart bypass surgery at a private hospital last week and was later shifted to his home on Sunday. However, on Monday, as his condition deteriorated, he was given an oxygen therapy and again shifted to a private hospital. However, he did not survive, said Karim Bux, an assistant of Prof Shera.

Borne on June 10, 1935 in Alwar, India, Prof Shera migrated to Pakistan at the age of 11 and later did MBBS from the Liaquat Medical College Jamshoro in the late 50s. He went to England for a post-graduation degree and on his return to Pakistan, he practiced as a young physician and diabetologist in 60s.

According his family members, the late professor is survived by his widow and three daughters. His funeral prayer will be offered on Wednesday (tomorrow) at Fatehpuri Masjid next to his home near Hill Park in 3/4, Block 3 Shaheed-e-Millat Service Road.

Health experts describe Prof Shera as an eminent researcher in the field of diabetes. Prof Shera supervised hundreds of research papers which were published in leading journals of medicine in the world and trained a large number of diabetologists who are now trainers and promoting diabetes management in various countries.

One oft-repeated message of the late professor was “eat less, walk more”. He would tell doctors to advise people to eat less and walk more to remain healthy so they could be saved from diabetes.

Revered by the medical community, especially diabetoloigists, Prof Samad Shera was also serving as the secretary general of the Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP). He would also run and manage various associations and societies related to diabetes and his presence at in conferences and seminars on diabetes was a must in Pakistan.

A large number of senior diabetologists, including Prof Dr Abdul Basit, the president of the IDF Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, Prof Zaman Shaikh, and health experts offered their condolences on the sad demise of Prof Samad Shera. They described his departure as a great loss for doctors and patients in the entire world.

In his condolence message, Prof Dr Abdul Basit said the death of Prof Shera was a great loss for the people of Pakistan as he spent his entire life for creating awareness about diabetes in Pakistan, while he also trained a large number of physicians and diabetologists in the entire world. He prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the soul of the departed in eternal peace and grant fortitude to his family to bear this irreparable loss.