KARACHI: To train Pakistani surgeons in surgeries to cure various diseases, three top international surgeons will perform live surgeries at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre as part of the 14th Surgical Week for Colorectal Diseases starting on Monday, officials said.

They said around 40 per cent of all patients who had colorectal diseases including colon cancer, haemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease and fistula required surgery for treatment.

“Three top surgeons from France, United Kingdom and Ireland would be performing live surgeries during the 14th Colorectal Week starting here at JPMC from Monday, which would be attended by over 500 surgeons from across Pakistan,” said Dr Seemin Jamali, executive director, JPMC, while addressing a press conference.

She added that those surgeries would be shown live in six cities of the country.

She said the JPMC’s 54th annual symposium would begin on Oct 23 in which eight international experts from various continents would deliver lectures; while, experts from across the country would present their papers, research and data in different fields of medicine.

The JPMC chief was accompanied by Prof Shahid Rasool, chairperson of the 54th Annual Medical Symposium, and Prof Shamim Qureshy, in-charge of 14 Surgical Week for the Colorectal Diseases.

Dr Jamali said three master trainers, Prof Yves Panis from France, Prof Ronan O’Connell from Ireland and Prof R John Nicholls from England, would carry out live surgeries and give lectures on surgical treatment of various colorectal diseases, including colon cancer, haemorrhoids, fistula repair and inflammatory bowel disease.

“Arrival of top surgeons from Europe would also highlight the soft image of Pakistan as their presence here would ensure that we are a safe and peaceful country,” she said.

She said the JPMC’s five-day medical symposium would offer 32 workshops on various disciplines; adding, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali was likely to inaugurate the symposium.

She said an important highlight of the JPMC’s annual symposium would be address of retired Air Commodore Shabir Ahmed Khan, who had established Rashidabad, a city of education and health facilities near Hyderabad, at the plenary session.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2019