|
|
|
| October 28, 2006 | Saturday | Shawwal 4, 1427 |
Obituary: Prof Masood Ahmad
Professor Masood Ahmad, a luminary of the present-day medical profession, died on Friday (Oct 27). He was 87. He had been suffering from heart ailment for some time.
He retired as professor of surgery, King Edward Medical College and Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Previous to this he had worked as professor of surgery at Dow Medical College, Karachi, and Nisthar Medical College, Multan. During his long career, he performed general surgery in all its diversity and had pioneered many new procedures and techniques, but his most important contribution was that he was the first person who did successful open heart surgery in Pakistan.
Acquiring knowledge and skill in surgery and passing it on to his students and colleagues became a mission in his life. He wanted to leave behind a dedicated group of highly trained professionals who could compete with the best anywhere. Most of today’s prominent surgeons and doctors even in other fields had been his students.
Prof Masood had a feeling, with full faith in Allah, that he would be able to achieve this lifelong ambition. This idea was the driving force in his life. He felt a sense of fulfillment on seeing his students achieve success and prosper. This quality endeared him immensely to his students. Throughout his life he showed compassion and tolerance even when someone had grossly erred. He was an upright and a congenial family man whose authenticity was his moral strength.
The late professor was also a great exponent of humanities while educating and training doctors. He was an ardent student of literature and poetry, because he believed that these had a cumulative effect in making life richer and complete. One of his other achievements was that he had acquired a pilot’s license and could fly an executive plane. His values based on humanity and his conviction inspired him right from his younger days so that he did not look at patients as objects of scientific curiosity but as human beings made of flesh and blood.
Prof Masood leaves behind his wife, three sons and two daughters. One of his sons is a captain in PIA, and a daughter is an associate professor of ophthalmology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore. The other daughter, Ayesha Rabia Naveed, is the first woman jet pilot, now also serving in PIA.— Dr munawar Ahmad
|
|
|
|
