KARACHI, Jan 31: A two-day symposium on clinical practice in nephrology (the study of the function and diseases of the kidney) and urology commenced here on Saturday.

The conference, held under the auspices of the Durab Patel Research Centre, started after two workshops were held for junior doctors at the Kidney Centre Postgraduate Training Institute earlier in the day.

The workshop on “laser endourology” was facilitated by Dr Karim Lehrich from Victoria Hospital, Germany.

The workshop provided exposure of the laser technology as a modality treatment for stones, urethral stricture and Pelvi-Ureteric Junction (PUJ) obstruction, to young doctors, particularly from areas where the treatment was not easily available.

The other workshop on “hemodialysis” was organised for junior doctors, dialysis technicians, and nurses.

Later addressing the inaugural session of the symposium, the director-general of the health services of the federal government, Dr Rasheed Jooma, was the chief guest and Professor Jamsheer Talati was the guest of honour.

Dr Jooma highlighted some federal government initiatives that would be incorporated in the new national health policy.

He said that the government intended to develop a linkage between the health services and the medial educational institutions to establish a unity of command in the health system.

On Sunday, the chairperson of the Centre of Bioethics and Culture, SIUT, Prof Farhat Moazzam, would speak on the recent advances in genetic engineering and its bioethical and social impacts on society.

In addition, some parallel sessions in nephrology and urology will also be held, wherein experts from Bangladesh and Germany would deliver lectures.