Doctors asked to follow latest medical trends

PESHAWAR, April 2: Doctors must be familiar with the latest trends in medical science to be able to provide proper care to the ailing humanity in a professional manner. This was the crux of the proceedings of the two-day 12th Biennial Convention of Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) held at Peshawar Medical College in Peshawar on Saturday, according to an official handout. Physicians, surgeons and health experts from all over the province attended the convention. Speaking on the occasion, PIMA's Kyhber Pakhtunkhwa president Dr Abdul Malik said that the aim of holding the convention was to refresh the professional and ethical know how of the health experts. He said that being the most sensitive community, it was imperative for doctors to meet the current challenges successfully. "The aim of the convention was to remind the custodians of this noble profession of their foremost responsibilities," he said. Prof Hafiz Ijaz Ahmad, speaking on the ‘importance of self accountability", said that human lives were very precious and the doctors should be aware of the latest treatment methods to handle their task effectively. "They must know the efficacy of the medicine and outcomes of the surgical procedure for the most beneficial use," he said and advised doctors to know about their limitations clearly and always take guidance from the contemporary experts. "Doctors should exhibit empathy with patients, keeping in mind their social and economic problems and avoid mal-practices," Dr Ahmed said. Dr Fazl-i-Azeem asked the participants to abide by the golden principles of the Holy Quran. "Knowledge without character leads to devastation," he asserted. Prof Habibur Rahman Asim of Islamic University Islamabad stressed on Zikr-i-Illahi (remembrance of Allah Almighty) in daily life and asked the participants to strive for getting excellence in the profession for the betterment of mankind. Maulana Mohammad Ismail said that the central theme of both Quran and medical science was the welfare of human beings. He asked the health experts to discharge their duties with the sense of service to maintain dignity of their profession. Prof Iqbal Khan said that ethics were the most important chapter of the medical curriculum designed by the Muslim scholars. He advised the doctors to take guidance from the valuable ethical work of Muslim medical stalwarts. Central president of PIMA, Dr Shafqat Javed, enumerated the association's achievements in recent years. Referring to research, academic and relief activities of the association, he said that in the field of eye care alone the PIMA had provided free consultation services to half a million deserving people of the far flung areas. "The PIMA has recently carried out 50,000 ophthalmic surgeries free of cost," Dr Javed said and added that the association had actively worked for the relief of IDPs and flood-affected people.