Prof. M. Akhtar Khan, former Principal, King Edwards Medical College, Lahore who was the Chief Guest of the 43rd Convocation of CPSP, underlined the need of more specialist doctors to combat the growing disease burden in the country.

He was addressing the 43rd convocation of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Paksitan (CPSP) held at the College lawns at Karachi. In the convocation 680 candidates who have been successful in 2008 examination were admitted to College certifications, which include 423 candidates to fellowship and 257 to membership.

Prof. M. Akhtar Khan praised the role of CPSP in producing healthcare professionals and specialists for the country.

Earlier, in his welcome address President CPSP, Prof. Zafar Ullah Chaudhry informed that the College now has 139 accredited training institutes within the country and 96 in countries abroad, and a vast network of training comprising 2,069 supervisors and more than 12,000 trainees from across the country and abroad.

It certainly is not easy to resist the temptation of securing funds from government, which usually are anchored with some sort of compromise on the policies and autonomy of an institution. As a result CPSP has not only emerged as a prestigious academic institution, but also one of the very few robust, organized, self-reliant and self-sustaining institutions of the country, the President CPSP added.

Training and examinations of CPSP are compatible and comparable with those used by Royal Colleges of UK and other centers of excellence of the world and it give College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan an edge over all other countries in the area as no other developing or Muslim country has an institution using such rigorous frameworks.

Prof. Zafar Ullah Chaudhry told that the College offers Fellowships in 53 disciplines covering almost all clinical and basic medical science disciplines. The Membership offered by the College is in 18 disciplines with the aim to prepare specialists who can serve the primary and secondary healthcare facilities located in rural and remote areas.

He informed that CPSP has reached an agreement with King Fahad Medical City Saudi Arabia, according to which 23 Pakistani doctors are being trained there.

He further informed that the total number of specialists produced by the College, up till now there are 18,294 including 10,970 Fellows, 7,206 Members and 118 Diploma holders. As I speak, 12,290 candidates are in different phases of training in the country.

CPSP has also made great efforts in exploring possibilities of finding and expanding training slots both within the country and abroad. MOU with King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is an example of these efforts. The first contingent of 23 fellowship trainees went in March this year to King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for 4t and 5 years of fellowship training according to CPSP prescribed curriculum. Each trainee is being paid SR10, 000/- per month with free family accommodation and health cover by the Saudi Hospital. ( For full text of the Welcome address by the President, Please click here)

Prof. S.M. Rab, a founding fellow and the leading physician of the Country was also present on the occasion.

Dr. Nafisa Saddrudin, Dr. Javeria Aijaz, Dr. Uzma Nadeem, Dr. Suhail Siddiqu and Dr. Zarin Kiran were awarded Gold Medals by the Chief Guest for their excellent performance in their specialties.