PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman has urged the health professionals to carry out research on local public health issues to cope with the burden of diseases effectively.

He was addressing the 5th convocation of Khyber Medical University as a chief guest on Thursday, a press release said.

On the occasion KMU Vice-chancellor Prof Ziaul Haq and his counterpart in King Edward Medical University Lahore Prof Khalid Masood Gondal were also present.

The governor, who is also chancellor of the universities, said that respect of medical profession in the society was due to the service to suffering humanity. He added that health professionals were considered the most respectful people in the society.

Governor awards degrees to 239 students at KMU convocation

“You are the lucky ones for having been selected to serve the weak and sick humanity. You, your parents and teachers deserve congratulations,” he said.

Mr Farman praised the performance of KMU and hoped that its management would further focus on quality while increasing the number of new institutions.

He conferred degrees upon the 239 students of PhD, MPhil, Masters and Bachelors and gold medals upon 105 graduates in different disciplines.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Ziaul Haq said that they were proud over the services rendered by university during the last 15 years. He said that they played significant part in increasing seats in MBBS and BDS programmes.

“We are also providing degrees in the fields of basic medical sciences, public health, physiotherapy, nursing, paramedical sciences and health professional education not only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but across the country,” he said.

He said that KMU was one of the few universities in the country that was financially stable due to strict financial discipline. “It has given us the opportunity to set up new institutes in remote districts of the province, especially in the newly merged tribal districts,” he added.

Regarding the challenges faced by the university, Prof Zia said that the biggest challenge for them was confronting the start of medical programmes by various public and private general universities of the province going beyond their limits.

He demanded of the government to increase the annual grant of Rs5 million, keeping in view the overall performance of the university and its needs.

Prof Khalid Masood Gondal also addressed the function.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2022