KARACHI, Feb 8: Sindh health minister, Maj-Gen Ahsan Ahmad, on Friday inaugurated the refurbished library of the Sindh Medical College Karachi.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that in the next phase of the construction, the seating capacity of the library would be doubled with an estimated expenditure of Rs5 million. At present the library has the capacity for two hundred students.

The minister said the standard of the college had considerably improved and it was ranked among the quality-oriented ones in the province.

“If the principal and the faculty of the college continue their endeavours with the same spirit, the day is not far when the majority of parents would be aspiring to admit their children here,” he said.

He also lauded the achievements of the final-year students of the college in the recently announced results.

Speaking on the occasion, principal of the college, Prof Akbar Haider Soomro, said the institute had the distinction of being the first public medical college where a vaccination campaign to eradicate hepatitis-B was initiated for teachers, students and other staff members of the college.

He disclosed that an amount of Rs12 million would be spent on the construction of new academic blocks at the college and a fast lift would also be installed to facilitate the students.

Director JPMC, Prof Qazi Abdul Shakoor, speaking on the occasion, called upon the professors and teachers associated with the college to do their utmost to properly train and teach the students.

“High thinking leads to high quality,” he said adding that no institution could maintain quality of service without team work.

Later the health minister formally inaugurated the library. He also addressed the academic council of the college.—APP