DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Gomal Medical College (GMC), Dera Ismail Khan, is set to start classes of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) this year.

GMC Principal Dr Naseem Saba Mehsud told journalists that the college would also award Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degrees to 117 graduates during its fourth convocation on Tuesday.

She said that acting governor Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani would be chief guest at the convocation. She said that the acting governor was likely to inaugurate BDS programme in the college.

Dr Naseem said that the proposal of launching BDS classes in the college had been under consideration for last three years. She said that the GMC administration completed preparations for launching the BDS programme.

She said that GMC was playing vital role in the field of medical education. She said that 1,677 graduates and 437 gold medalists of the college were serving ailing humanity in the college. She said that 29 foreign students were also studying in the college.

Dr Naseem said that Dera Ismail Khan had six surgeons and consultants in nephrology and urology. She stressed the need for setting up a complete urology ward and operation theater to meet the needs of dialysis patients from the southern districts and adjoining areas of Punjab and Balochistan.

She said that a separate kidney centre should be established in Dera Ismail Khan for which all resources and manpower were already available.

Dr Naseem said that GMC was the first specialised centre for Covid-19 in the country after the outbreak of the pandemic. She said that Mufti Mehmood Hospital and GMC were badly affected by the recent floods but the students showed courage and rescued not only 200 patients in the hospital but also shifted more than 400 victims safely to the district headquarters hospital and other safe places.

Dr Nassem said that GMC would organise an international conference titled ‘New horizon in medical sciences’ in February 2023. She added that delegates from all over the world would participate in the conference.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2022