KARACHI, April 7: Federal health minister, Dr Abdul Malik Kasi, on Sunday said that the government was keen on extending all possible assistance to doctors in advancement of their knowledge-base and professional expertise.

He was speaking as chief guest at the concluding session of the joint congress of the Orthopaedic Association of SAARC Countries (OASAC), the International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT), the Association of Studies & Application of Methods of Llizarov (ASAMI) and the National Conference of Pakistan Orthopaedic Association (ORTHOCON) at a local hotel.

Commenting on the tremendous technological breakthroughs taking place in the field of orthopaedics, the minister lauded the organisers for arranging an international congress where exchange of information and training took place.

He also promised to take into consideration the recommendations made by the congress for solving genuine demands of the orthopaedicians community.

Founding president, Pakistan Orthopaedic Association, Prof Ali Mohammed Ansari, in his opening remarks, called on the government to support the programmes which encouraged teaching, learning and education in the country.

A veteran teacher, Prof Ansari, stressed that the young people in our country should be extended all possible encouragement to unable them to reach their optimum potential.

Speaking earlier, chairman congress organising committee, and the immediate past president of the Pakistan Orthopaedic Association, Prof Yunis H Soomro, thanked his colleagues and sponsors for their efforts in organising the conference.

Chairman scientific committee, Prof Jokhio, in his speech said that the scientific programme of the congress was a big success, despite difficulties occurring after the September 11 event, when many of the foreign delegates scheduled to make presentations had expressed their inability to attend the congress.