Meritorious work: Serving disadvantaged an obligation, says Rajwana

Governor speaks at the 17th PAMS convocation

LAHORE:

Medics should consider serving the disadvantaged a national and moral obligation, Governor Rafique Rajwana said on Friday.

The governor made the remarks while addressing the 17th convocation of the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences (PAMS) at the University of Health Sciences (UHS). The economic and social problems confronting the society are primarily rooted in scientific nihilism, Rajwana said. “If we sincerely wish to develop and grow in the future, we have no option but to focus on science,” the governor said.

PAMS President Muhammad Humayun said that the objective of the academy was to recognise meritorious and scholastic achievements of physicians and biomedical scientists of the nation. Praising the PAMS, UHS Vice-Chancellor Muhammad Aslam said the academy honoured those who had devoted themselves to research.

PAMS Founder Khalid J Awan said that the academy encouraged young scientists with special awards in addition to promoting scientific research, publishing papers, journals and presenting scientific work from the nation internationally. He said the PAMS provided funds for development of scientific research and projects. The academy has only elected celebrated scientists as its fellows and has had the distinction of having Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam, Salimuzzaman Siddiqui and Attaur Rehman among its fellows, he said.

Fellowships were awarded to Aga Khan Medical College Dean Farhat Abbas, Mirpur University of Sciences and Technology Akson College of Pharmacy Principal Khalid Hussain Janbaz, Aga Khan University Professor of Neurology Muhammad Wasay and American University of Ras Al-Khaimah Department of Biotechnology Chair Muhammad Mukhtar on the occasion.

PAMS Young Scientists Gold Medals were awarded to Liaquat National University Medical College Department of Family Medicine Head Faridah Amin, Ishrat Mahjabeen of the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Department of Biosciences Cancer Genetics Lab, Quaid-i-Azam University National Centre for Bioinformatics Assistant Professor Sajid Rashid and National University of Science and Technology Attaur Rehman School of Applied Biosciences HCB Viral Hepatitis Research Group In-charge Sobia Manzoor at the convocation.

Isra University Vice-Chancellor Ghulamqadir A Kazi was awarded the PAMS Excellence in Academic Leadership Gold Medal while UHS Pro Vice-Chancellor Junaid Sarfraz Khan was given the Institutional Academic Award at the ceremony. Lahore Medical and Dental College Public Health Dean Shakila Zaman was given the Governor of Punjab-PAMS Public Health Award for her work in the field on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2015.