November 22, 2001	Thursday	Ramazan 6, 1422

KARACHI, Nov 21: Senior medical experts urged young doctors to strive for establishing their credibility as physicians.

They expressed their views while addressing the 22nd general body meeting of the Patients Welfare Association (PWA) and the inaugural ceremony of its diagnostics laboratory, drug bank and T.B.follow-up clinic, here on Wednesday at the DMC.

They were highly appreciative of the work undertaken by the students of Dow Medical College and the junior doctors of the Civil Hospital Karachi through the platform of the Patients Welfare Association during the last 22 years.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Sharif Chaudhry, a former cardiologist at the Civil Hospital, said that due care and proper diagnosis with efficient administration of medical relief would be a great service to humanity.

Prof Chaudhry cautioned that corruption in any profession, particularly in the medical field, was a curse which needed to be curbed effectively and urgently.

Dr Naushad Ali Sheikh, medical superintendent Civil Hospital, said the increasing influx of patients with every passing day had made it difficult for the administration to cope with the situation due to the paucity of funds.

He said it was due to the free of charge services offered by the PWA through its blood and drug banks, diagnostic laboratories and other facilities that a large number of patients were being provided necessary assistance.

He referred to the contribution made by Prof Mushtaq Ahmed and Prof Qamar Vellani for supporting the initiative taken by three young students of the DMC some 22 years back.

He said that the CHK administration considered the PWA its pride and partner and assured them of all possible assistance and support to the voluntary association being managed by the DMC students. Prof Tariq Mirza, vice-principal DMC, lauded the contribution of college students towards needy patients and said the CHK could arrange blood and drugs for patients only due to the selfless efforts of young students.

Tanvir Muzzafar, PWA general secretary, discussed in detail the projects initiated by the association within the CHK premises. With reference to the inaugurated T.B. follow-up clinic, she said through the facility 230 T.B. patients had been isolated, given checkups twice a week and provided medication for 10 to 12 months.

Appreciating the support extended to the PWA by local philanthropists, she said it was due to their assistance that the blood bank established in 1982 was refurbished at regular intervals.

She said that the PWA blood bank, recognised by the WHO and considered to be one of the best of its kind in the country, provided adequately screened and cross matched blood for patients suffering from AIDS and hepatitis B.

The PWA diagnostics laboratory, she said, was set up to perform the tests that were most commonly prescribed by physicians.

With regard to fund-raising projects of the PWA, she said the zakat campaign was held throughout the month of Ramazan besides the a