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Day Sessions for the second day of the Karachi leg of the conference included sessions:
The second day of the conference began with a plenary session featuring Dr. Adil H. Haider, MD, MBBS, FACS, Dean of the College of Medicine of Aga Khan University presenting on Trauma Surgery. Dr. Adil Haider graduated from Aga Khan University in 1998 and has a Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health. He began his lecture by placing an emphasis on the need for equity and the importance of Public Health in Trauma Care. He also shared his area of interest in learning how unconscious or implicit bias leads to the treatment of patients differently. He then described how taking a public health approach to treatment can impact the lives of patients. Dr Haider also took the opportunity to educate the audience on the impact cultural diversity can have on trauma care. Following his lecture Dr Adil Haider expressed his interest on behalf of AKU to collaborate with Medics International in the interest of service to humanity.
Hematology and Oncology
The Hematology and Oncology session had a series of esteemed faculty members from around the world. The session was chaired by Dr. Salman Adil MBBS, FCPS, FrCP (Glasg), of Pakistan, and co-chaired by Dr. Sarfaraz Jafri, of Pakistan. This session was moderated by Dr. Sibte Kazmi, MD of USA.
Dr. Syed Hasan Jafri, MBBS, FACP, (Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) of Pakistan, presented A Cancer Therapy Worthy of a Nobel Prize in Medicine: Immune Checkpoint Blockage. In this presentation he shed light on how immunotherapy works, its clinical application and treatment related side effects.This informative session was followed by another enlightening talk by Dr. Uzma Zaidi, MBBS, FCPS (Haem) (Stem Cell Transplant Physician at National Institute of Blood Diseases & Bone Marrow Transplantation) of Pakistan, who presented on the Progress and Need of Stem Cell Transplant in Pakistan for Various Hematological Disorders.Dr. Usman Shaikh took the podium to conclude the session with his lecture on How to Make Pakistan Thalassemia-free. The session was followed by a question and answer session.
Internal Medicine
Running parallel to the Hematology and Oncology Session was the Internal Medicine session chaired and co-chaired by Professor Sajid Jafri MBBS, FCPS, of Pakistan and Dr. Mukhtiar Jafri MBBS, FCPS, of Pakistan, respectively. This session was moderated by Dr. Aliya Jafri.
Dr. Wasi Rizvi, MD (Internal Medicine Specialist at Newtown Medical) was first to present at this session where he spoke about Heart Disease and Diabetes in the South Asian Population in the US. Dr. Rizvi educated the audience on the risk factors of CVD for South Asians at an earlier age than those belonging to other races.
He was followed by Dr. Abdul Basit, MBBS, FRCP(Lon), FRCP(Edin), (Professor of Medicine & Director of BIDE) of Pakistan, who delivered an informative lecture on the Road Map to Diabetes in Pakistan, who illustrated the trends regarding diabetes and highlighted the urgency for a National Action Prevention Program.
Dr. Bader Al Mustafa, MBBS, DPHC(RCGP), ABFM, SBFM, ECHS (Senior consultant in Family Medicine and Clinical Hypertension at Qatif Primary Health Care) from Saudi Arabia was the last speaker of this session. He presented on Hypertension and Cardiometabolic Risk: Current Situation in the Middle East and South Asia, shedding light on the Global Disease Burden of Stroke including its role as the leading risk of death. The session was followed by a question and answer session.
The session was followed by a question and answer session.
The Paediatrics session was another well sought session where Dr. Shabbir Hussain MBBS, FRCS, FCPS (Peds Surgeon), of Pakistan, and Dr. Kashif Abbas MBBS, FCPS, of Pakistan presided as chair and co-chair respectively. This session was moderated by Dr. Awais Abbas, of Pakistan.
Dr. Samina Shamim MBBS, FCPS, of Pakistan, presented on Childhood Asthma where she educated the audience on the pathology of asthma and Asthma Management in Children.
Dr. Shamim was followed by Dr. Shehla Naqvi, MD, (Pediatrician, Mt. Vernon Neighborhood Health Center) of the US, a paediatrician who specializes in paediatric infectious diseases gave a lecture on Zika Virus Induced Microcephaly. Dr. Naqvi spoke about the increased cases of microcephaly due to Zika Virus and the damages caused by fetal infection of the virus.
Dr. Qalab Abbas, of Pakistan, shed light on the Need for Paediatric Critical Care in Pakistan. He highlighted some critical points such as the lack of pediatric facilitates within ICUs which defined the need for progress in this sector.
This enlightening lecture was followed by an informative lecture by Dr. Batul Ladak, MD, (Developmental Pediatrician, Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics LLC) of USA, who spoke on Autism, The Journey Beyond Diagnoses. During her lecture she informed the audience about the presentation of autism in different stages of life.
Dr. Asma Razavi, MD (Medical Director, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Assistant Professor Pediatric Critical Medicine at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital) of USA, was the closing speaker for this session. The topic was Critical Cardiac Care and Building an ICU Team. During her lecture she outlined the history of congenital heart disease, its evolution and impact on the healthcare system.
The session was followed by a question and answer session.
One of the most outstanding session at this conference was Pain Management and Anesthesia. The lineup for the session included the worlds leading experts in PMR and Anesthesia. The session was chaired by Professor Saeeda Haider MBBS, MCPS, FCPS, CPSP (HOD, Department of Anesthesiology & Critical Care, The Indus Hospital), and co-chaired by Professor Safia Zafar, of Pakistan and Dr. Iqbal Jafri, MD, FAAPM&R (Medical Director, JFK Johnson Rehab Institute), of USA, with a special Guest of Honor, Dr. Salamat Kamal, of Pakistan. The session was moderated by Dr. Agha Sajjad, MD (Pain Management Specialist, South City Hospital, Pakistan).
The session began with a engaging presentation by Dr. Nuzhat Shikoh, MBBS, MD (Anesthesiogist and Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery, Doctor's Hospital), of USA, who educated the audience on Emergency Airway Management for Non-Anesthesiologists. She started with an explanation of the basic respiratory system and then led her presentation into a demonstration of bag and valve ventilation using the apparatus. Dr Nuzhat was followed by Dr. Huma Naqvi, MD, IMI Global President, who spoke on Integrative Pain Medicine. She began her presentation with a brief overview of her job as a physiatrist and led into the different aspects of integrative pain medicine including, Physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental. Dr Huma was followed by Dr Asad Latif, MD, MPH (Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, AKUH) who presented on Improving Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients. He educated the audience on the reasons behind sub-optimal outcomes, how system failure can lead to errors and how system factors impact outcomes. Dr Latif was followed by Professor Iqbal Hussain Jafri, who presented on a Multidisciplinary Approach in Chronic Pain Management, where he started with the definition of pain and the history of treatment of pain. He then led the audience through the types of pain syndromes and their treatments such as physical and occupational therapy. Dr Jafri was followed by Dr. Gohar Afshan MBBS, MCPS, FCPS, (Professor of Anesthesiology, AKU) of Pakistan who was another esteemed member of the speakers’ panel. Dr. Afshan talked about Teaching and Training in Pain Medicine: Challenges in Pakistan. During her presentation she spoke on the need for a pain management program in Pakistan, the challenges faced, the current status of the programs and how we can move forward to establish an effective plan. Dr Afshan was followed by a presentation by Dr.Farnad Imani, MD, FIPP (Professor of Anesthesiology, Pain Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences), of Iran, on Spinal Cord Stimulation for Refractory Chronic Pain. He started off with an introduction of Spinal Cord Stimulation and dived into the different stages of the treatment, patient selection, indications and the predictors of its success.
Following the luncheon with the Minister of Health of Sindh, there was a widely anticipated Medical Ethics Session where there was a panel of experts and speakers. This session was moderated by Professor Mulazim Hussain Bukhari, MBBS, DCP, MPHIL, FCPS, PhD, CHPE, Post Doc (Vice Chancellor, Sadiq International University).
The session kicked off with Dr. Bagher Larijani’s, MD, FACE (Chief Scientific Officer and Director General of the Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute) engaging in a lecture on Theory, Practice, and Trends in Medical Ethics: Experience and Lessons from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
This lecture was followed by Dr. Fatema Javed’s MBBS, MCPS (Med), FRCP(Edin) (Director, WAME) informative presentation, Predatory Journals: Who are the Captives?
After this presentation a joint conversation on the Values of Medical Ethics in Pakistan was given by Professor Mulazim Hussain Bukhari and Dr. Shabih Zaidi, FRCS, FACS, FCPS (Chancellor Sadiq International University).
These presentations were followed by a highly interactive and engaging discussion between the panel of experts which included the above mentioned speakers, as well as Dr. Aqeel Moosa and Maulana Shaykh Hassanain Aleem Mir. The session was followed by an engaging question and answer session led by Professor Bukhari.
This session was attended by multiple delegates as it provided a Comparative Analysis of Healthcare Systems of different countries by a panel of experts. This session was efficiently moderated by Mr. Arshad Rahim Khan (Managing Director, ARK & Associates), of Pakistan. Professor Dr. Abdul Bari MBBS, FCPS (CEO Indus Hospital, Pakistan) and Professor Dr. Tariq Rafi MBBS, DLO, FCPS, FICS, FRCS (ENT Surgeon South City Hospital), reviewed the Healthcare System of Pakistan and brought information to light from the perspective of being a healthcare professional in Pakistan. Dr. Abdul Bari spoke about the dynamic changes in the paradigm of health care in Pakistan, and Dr. Tariq Rafi discussed the challenges and opportunities of Public Health in Pakistan.
Esteemed scholar Dr. Ehtesham Abidi, PhD (Chairman & CEO at Pharmaceutics International) represented the USA Healthcare System where he gave an overview of an international health care system and the challenges healthcare providers face.
To conclude the session, a highly established panel of experts, including Professor Dr. Shabih Zaidi FRCS, FACS, FCPS (Chancellor, Sadiq International University), Dr. Arshed Quyyumi, MD, FRCP, FACC (Professor of Cardiology, Emory University) and Dr. Adeel Abbas engaged with the audience, providing their analysis on the healthcare system based on their experience and knowledge.
A special Imamia Medics International General Body Meeting was held on the topic of Engaging in Global Medicine, Academics and Public Health. The General Body Meeting was facilitated by IMI's Founding Member, Dr. Syed Wajih Rizvi, MD from the United States. Our General Body Meeting was also held with updates from all chapters and different projects. A significant organizational change also occurred with the Oath-Taking for the newly elected President of IMI Pakistan, Prof. Mulazim Bokhari, and the new President for IMI's latest Regional Chapter: IMI Asia, Dr. Dilbar Saeed. The engaging and interactive session resulted in fruitful discussions on the role of healthcare providers, academics and government in advancing the goals of global medicine. The role of nonprofit organizations like Imamia Medics International was also a topic of thorough discussion.
Dinner and Keynote Address
Head and Neck
The second day sessions for the Dental Wing began with an innovative interdisciplinary session titled Head and Neck. The opening session was moderated by Dr. Afifa Hemani, of Pakistan. The session consisted of a panel of experts from Maxillofacial Surgery, Oncology, Radiology and Histopathology who discussed a case of malignant melanoma while the audience participated interactively in the case discussion.
The session featured the following esteemed faculty:
The head and neck session was followed by a full Dental Wing Session chaired by Dr. Zia Abbas BDS, MCPS, Dip in Dentistry, PGD (Oral Surgery), Vice Principal of Dow International Dental College, Pakistan. The session was moderated by Dr. M Ali Naqvi, of Pakistan.
The session began with Dr. Murtaza Raza Kazmi BDS, FCPS a renowned Prosthodontist from Aga Khan University, who discussed one of his cases of Full Mouth Rehabilitation.
Paediatric Dentist at Dr. Bee Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Zara Nensey, DMD, presented one of her cases of Newborn and Child Frenectomies via laser.
Orthodontist at Rane's Dental, Dr. Mehreen Merchant DMD, MSE, who presented her research on Prevalence of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders in the Adolescent Population.
Pharmaceutical Industry: Opportunities and Challenges
The second day's Pharmaceutical Wing Session included a session entitled Pharmaceutical Industry: Opportunities and Challenges. The session was moderated by Pakistan.
Dr. Izhar Hussain (Director, Center of Executive Education, IBA), and featured presentations and a panel of experts. Mr. Hanif Ajari, (Director Supply Chain, Getz Pharma) of Pakistan, presented on Changing Regulatory Environment and Industry Responses. Mr. Ali Kabir (Partner at Ali and Associates), of Pakistan, presented on the Legal Aspects of Pharma Business - Trademarks and Patents.
The panel of experts included:
Workshop: Stress Management
The Young Leaders’ Session kicked off on the second day of the conference with a special workshop on Stress Management where students and young professionals participated in an incredible and interactive session conducted by Dr. Dilbar Saeed, MBBS, MBA of the IMI Pakistan Board of Directors and moderated by Muhammed Murtaza, of Pakistan.
As the second part of the Young Leaders Session, a session to the young professionals and students had the opportunity to interact with established professionals and scholars from a variety of backgrounds. The session served to introduce and familiarize students and faculty with each other so that the faculty could serve in a mentor capacity and the students could benefit as much as possible throughout the conference.
The sessions were "geared to build relationships between you as a participant and the speakers throughout the 2 days in each city. These speakers, presenters, and facilitators are here not only to share information but also to connect with you and provide mentorship. The panels will feature the experiences and advice from a selection of 4-6 established professionals (Health Professionals and those from non-health fields). The networking hour will feature many more mentors with a range of junior to seniors in their fields to allow you to engage personally in small group or one-on-one conversations over chai."
In a special Young Leaders' Session for Pharmacy Students, Dr. Liaquat Raza, B.Pharm, MPhil, PhD (Guest Researcher, LUND University of Sweden), and Ms. Rukhsar Zehra, of Pakistan conducted a session on Career Options. The session was well-attended and gave rise to fruitful discussion between the presenters and the Young Leaders.
Concurrently, a session on PLAB was held. The session was moderated by Ms. Kainat Zehra. The first speaker for this session was Dr. Hadi Imam Consultant Pathologist at NHS, UK, who defined the Doctors' Road to the UK: PLAB, Jobs, and Training Posts. He shed light on the healthcare system in the UK, NHS. He then outlined steps needed for students in Pakistan according to their current position in their academic career. He also outlined the different assessments that are required for completion of the PLAB and its backup plans. Dr. Imam highlighted the logistic and visa requirements regarding the qualification as well. This session was followed by a robust question and answer session hosted by Dr Hadi Imam and Dr. Mudassar Ahmed, MBS, MRCS, FRCS (Tr& Ortho) (Consultant Trauma and Orthopedic Surgeon, Whittington Health NHS Trust).
To view full conference proceedings, click here.
It was an excellent conference well planned, presented, and well attended. If individually traveling we may have never enjoyed the kind of reception the participants received throughout their stay in Iran.
I want to thank you all for giving me such a great opportunity to be a part of your team (in Haiti). It was a unique experience and I really enjoyed working with you all.
Thank you very much for the wonderful work you do. I have seen it first hand in Karbala during the Arbaeen camps and my son was fortunate to participate in two of the missions. I have made a donation today.
If InshAllah, I secure a residency in the upcoming match, I will owe the organizers and the speakers at the seminar more than they will take credit for.
IMI has been my outlet for philanthropic work since before I entered into high school. It is through IMI that I see my efforts, here in New Jersey, manifest into something much greater around the world. IMI has helped me realize that ambition alone is not enough to change the world; in order to achieve the changes we wish to see in this world we require ambition, vision, and most importantly execution. That is why I have joined IMI, so that my ambition and vision can meet their execution.
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