March 06, 2008	Thursday	Safar 27 ,1429

HYDERABAD, March 5: The vice-chancellor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Prof. Dr. Naushad A. Shaikh said on Wednesday that the university planned to establish an anti-snake venom (ASV) laboratory to produce a Pakistan-specific drug against snakebite as the imported one had proved ineffective.

The laboratory estimated to cost Rs200 million would be set up within two years once the funds were released and produce around 50,000 vials a year, which would be sufficient not only for Sindh but also for the rest of the country, Mr Shaikh told journalists at his office.

He said that the doctors had to administer several ASVs to a snakebite victim because on the one hand Sindh’s snake carried more lethal venom and on the other the imported drug was ineffective. At present, the hospitals received ASVs from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and also imported them.

The laboratory would also produce anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) at a later stage and export it to neighbouring countries, he said, adding that investigation had revealed that western treatment protocol for snakebite victims was not effective here. “As a result mortality rate in snakebite victims remains high,” he said.

The university had undertaken a major initiative for preparing a Pakistan- specific protocol of treatment for snakebite cases to help reduce number of deaths from snakebite. “Between 3,000 to 5,000 lives can be saved if proper protocol is followed,” he said.

He said that LUMHS would hold a workshop on March 10 to bring together heads of the country’s universities and authors of books on community medicines. If they agreed then changes would be made in the syllabi after 50 years regarding treatment of snakebite victims, he said.

Mr Shaikh conceded that his brainchild idea of board of governors for Sindh’s teaching hospitals had flopped. The system simply did not work, he said.

“I admit my mistake because it was my idea. BoGs are not functional in Larkana and Nawabshah yet whereas existing ones failed to deliver as per expectations,” he said.

He said that people appointed to BoGs failed to reach out to philanthropists to get funds for the hospitals because they were not that much committed. Treatment had become too expensive and the government alone could not provide qualitative treatment to people, he said.

Mr Shaikh said that the first cardiac surgery in the Hyderabad Civil Hospital would be done on March 15 and a surgeon had already been appointed at the hospital’s cardiac unit with intensive care unit constructed recently. The unit would do angioplasty and angiography on a regular basis, he said.

He admitted that they had a host of unresolved issues with the Civil Hospital’s administration, which had created problems for LUMHS staff including professors and associate professors.

“The hospital lacks funds and pay little heed to maintenance. Our professors don’t get required facilities or environment and staff is mainly missing. Under dual administrations such issues are bound to emerge,” the VC said.

He said that even if the hospital was handed over to the university they would not be able to maintain the white elephant.

He, therefore, had proposed to the Higher Education Commission to set up a 500-bed hospital for the university equipped with facilities of international standard.

Mr Shaikh said that inquiry into admissions of 117 students had been completed by a committee comprising four deans, a professor and an advocate and its report would be submitted to the syndicate to seek recommendation for action against delinquent officials including former VC, registrar and director of admissions.

He also referred to embezzlement of Rs800,000 stipend funds and said that inquiry into the scam had been finalised.

He said that a 100-seat Pubic School Medical College affiliated to LUMHS would be established in Public School for the students of Hyderabad and its adjoining districts.

The university would provide assistance including curriculum to the college, which would have Bhittai and Kohsar hospitals as teaching hospitals, he said.