The University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore and the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for collaboration in training, research and evaluation at a symposium held by the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine (PSIM) at a hotel in Hyderabad on Sunday.
The vice-chancellors (VCs) of the two institutions signed the document.
The intended areas of cooperation include exchange of academics and administrative staff, collaboration on capacity building, joint research and development projects, joint publications, education programmes, workshops and training and exchange of students.
The MoU will last for three years.
During the day-long symposium, health experts delivered lectures on telemedicine and artificial intelligence, dengue, Covid-19 and coagulation, asthma, sexual health of women with chronic diseases, stroke treatment, liver cancer, liver transplant and diabetes healthcare.
According to LUMHS VC Dr Bikha Ram Devrajani, more than 2,000 doctors attended the symposium online, besides those present at the venue.
Charity polyclinic
Speaking on the occasion, PSIM president Dr Javed Akram, who is also VC of the UHS announced that the society was going to establish a charity polyclinic in Lahore where leading medical consultants would provide free healthcare services to the poor.
"Doctors should do something for the poor, who can't afford to pay Rs3,000 to Rs5,000 [consultation] fee at our private clinics," he underscored. "I hope leading consultants will provide 10 per cent to 15 per cent of their clinic time at that facility. I will myself sit there once a week."
According to him, a building has already been purchased for more than Rs350 million in Lahore to establish the facility.
It will operate under the aegis of the PSIM Foundation, which is headed by Prof Sajid Obaidullah.
"Our purpose is to provide totally cashless health services to the people," Dr Akram said. "We are giving a new avenue, a new shape to medical societies by invoking the corporate social responsibility, which is going to be a revolution in the charity [sector]," he noted. "This will also help change and improve perceptions about doctors."
He said the facility would be inaugurated in the month of Ramazan this year.
Dr Akram also asked the PSIM Hyderabad chapter, especially Dr Devrajani, to initiate a similar facility by next Ramazan in the district.
Dr Devrajani assured that they would soon establish a dialysis centre at the Red Crescent General Hospital in Latifabad from the foundation's platform.
He also announced that a charity hospital on 20 acres of land along Hyderabad-Tando Muhammad Khan Road would be established and the land for the facility would be provided by the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA).
The VC said the LUMHS was already providing free healthcare in some districts of Sindh.
According to him, the university is also likely to acquire the administrative control of five government hospitals in Hyderabad and Jamshoro districts.
"The PSIM Foundation's initiatives will be activated in Hyderabad long before next Ramazan," he assured.
GIMS
Besides, Dr Akram said the UHS, Lahore was considering a request of the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Khairpur for affiliating with the former.
He said a 13-member team of the UHS had inspected the GIMS facility on Saturday.
"Although it is early to say that the [UHS'] syndicate will definitely grant approval [for the affiliation], as an inspector of the team we found the institute to be of very good standard, rather excellent," said Dr Akram.
The UHS VC was hopeful that the syndicate's meeting, which is expected in the next few weeks, will give its nod for the affiliation.
The GIMS is offering liver, kidney and bone marrow transplant but as per the Higher Education Commission's requirement the institute cannot meet the standard of awarding academic degrees to trainees.
Dr Akram said the UHS was offering five programmes of liver transplant.
The GIMS further plans to offer MS hepatobiliary, surgery and transplant. Another MD level-four programme will be started there from next year. The third initiative under the affiliation will be of launching a PhD programme at the GIMS.
The GIMS will be the first health facility in Sindh which will become affiliated with the UHS, Lahore.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2021.
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