KARACHI, Feb 14: Pakistan will be hosting the 28th Asia Pacific Dental Congress (APDC) in Karachi from Feb 23 to 27. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, the congress patron, has approved holding the inauguration of the 28th Asia Pacific Dental Congress at the Governor’s House on Feb 23.
This was announced at a meeting, chaired by Sindh Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui here on Tuesday to review security arrangements being made for the forthcoming moot.
Sindh Health Minister Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, Sindh Health Secretary, Naushad Shaikh, Special Secretary (Home Department) Khurshid Alam, Additional Secretary (Technical) for Health, Captain Majid, Secretary Control Board, Chief Drug Inspector, IG Sindh Jehangir Mirza, CCPO Karachi Niaz Ahmed Siddiqui, DIG Operations Mushtaq Shah, DIG Traffic Falak Khurshid and Col Sultan of Pakistan Rangers discussed different aspects of the arrangements for the prestigious moot, being held for the first time in the country.
Main organizers of the congress including Dr Arif Alavi, Dr Ali Farhan Razi, Dr Aqeel Fataah and Dr Ahmed Bari were also present on the occasion.
They explicitly discussed arrangements related to the moot itself as well as events related to it.
The Sindh home minister assured that all measures would be adopted for the protection of those participating in the moot.
Sindh Health Minister Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani present on behalf of the Sindh Health Department assured all possible support to the congress organizers in their endeavour to make the event an absolute success.
The Asia Pacific Dental Federation (APDF), with 28 countries right from the Pacific rim to Asia and Middle East, established 50 years back is also celebrating its Golden Jubilee in 2006, making the event all the more significant.
Pakistan despite initial reservations expressed by other APDF member countries, managed to seek unanimous approval of all the members to host the moot to be attended by 1,000 delegates from India besides over 500 others from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, China, Lebanon, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia and many other countries along with 3,000 from all over Pakistan.
Presence of experts from almost around the globe would provide junior dentists firsthand opportunity to learn the updated techniques, in face of shrinking chances to seek education abroad.
Dr Arif Alvi, chief coordinator of the APDC acknowledged the support being extended by the Sindh governor and other government officials. He, however, appealed that Indian delegates in particular and others in general must be assisted in getting visas to attend the moot.
Apart from scientific sessions, hands-on workshop and exhibition - full fledged sessions have been chalked out to highlight the role of dentistry in the wake of natural disasters and extensive deliberations on dental health and public.
With a view to creating public awareness and sensitizing them about proper care and prevention of dental diseases, he said seven medical schools functional in Karachi had been involved to visit schools and offer students free of cost dental examination and education.
The process which has already been initiated will be followed on a major level during the congress where stalls would provide similar service to the general public.
Manufacturers of dental equipments, from different parts of the world have been invited to display their products along with their Pakistani counterparts.
A dental walk and floats to move around the city have also been planned to create public awareness on dental diseases.—APP
