SAARC surgical conference: South Asian doctors pledge to promote regional cooperation

Specialists share their experience in different surgery techniques.

KARACHI: The ninth SAARC Surgical Care Conference being held at the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) culminated on Sunday. Medical experts from the region participated in the conference, where they shared their experiences on techniques of breast surgery, endocrine surgery, bariatric surgery, colorectal surgery and gastrointestinal surgery.

At the inaugural ceremony, the speakers explained the theme of the conference, titled 'Impact of Changing Trends in Practice of Surgery - Relevance to SAARC Region'. They hoped that that the specialists will be able to learn from each other's experiences in their areas of expertise through the conference.



The president of SAARC Surgical Care Society, Prof Rakesh Varma, said that the conference provides a platform for all the countries in the region to interact with each. "We all live in harmony and respect each other," he added.

Highlighting the importance of Karachi for the field of medicine, Prof Varma said: "Karachi is a hub of medical services and I am happy to be a part of the conference here." He said that, like other countries, Pakistan has played a very active role in the society.

Prof Varma said that without a proper platform, the experiences of medical experts in regional countries would not be shared. "It is the only hindrance and we are trying to make it possible to bring all the specialists together." He said that one SAARC hospital will be set up in all member countries in the future.

"The SAARC Surgical Care Society is a viable and vibrant body," said CPSP president Prof Zafarullah Chaudhry, adding that the participants will have exposure to experiences and knowledge being shared during the conference.

Prof Chaudhry said that the CPSP has played a vital role in training leading medical specialists in Pakistan. He said that the CPSP has set up 180 institutions within Pakistan and 82 outside the country.

The general secretary of the SAARC Surgical Care Society, Prof MD Lamawansa, presented the yearly report which comprised details of new projects, including the SAARC Surgical Tower in Lahore. "We know and understand each other's problems," he said, adding that many issues could be resolved through cooperation with regional countries.

Prof Naheed Sultan, Prof Khalid Masood Gondal and Dr Hasnain Zafar also spoke at the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2014.