SIUT concludes 51st batch of student volunteer programme

The programme allows participants to contribute to community service

KARACHI: The certificate distribution ceremony of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation's (SIUT) 51st batch of the student volunteer programme was held at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation on Saturday marking the conclusion of a week-long exercise of community service.

This voluntary service programme for school and college students has been initiated by SIUT to inculcate values of compassion and service to humanity at large. The module of this programme is structured and formulated in such a manner that it motivates the students to acquire the spirit of service and sacrifice. Over the years, the programme has been received by students, parents and teachers overwhelmingly.



Ever since the programme started, up to 6,286 students have successfully completed the training. The programme begins with an orientation in which students are informed about the activities that they would perform during their course of training. Students hailing from various schools and colleges of the city were rotated through various departments including Out Patient Departments (OPD), dialysis, transplantation, lithotripsy, radiology, clinical laboratory, cancer, hepato-gastroenterology and medical and surgical sciences. The training spanned for 30 hours during which the participants engaged with the admitted patients as well as the outpatients, especially the children.

SIUT Director Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi, speaking on the occasion, called upon the future generation and said that it was their social responsibility to address the issues that are faced by members of the society due to poverty, lack of education and poor healthcare system. He stressed that the basic principle of every community service was based on empathy, compassion and commitment. He said that the programme initiated by SIUT provided an opportunity to students to mitigate the sufferings and hardships faced by the marginalised members of the society who are usually the victims of poverty and illness.



The certificate distribution ceremony also included speeches by junior and senior volunteers. They narrated their experience of training and interaction with patients of transplantation and dialysis. They said that the experience they gained during the training and attachment changed their outlook towards life.

The ceremony was largely attended by the parents, teachers, students and staff members of SIUT including medical professionals.  

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2018.