HYDERABAD, Oct 7: A country like Bangladesh spends $5 million on a university per year while we grant only pittance to our universities.

This was stated by the vice chancellor of Liaquat University of Health and Medical Sciences, Prof Jan Mohammad Memon, while addressing the three-day 9th annual Hyderabad ophthalmic conference at a local hotel here on Sunday.

He called for more spending on higher education so that “we can compete with the world.”

He said during recent years better ophthalmologic care had been provided to the patients at the Hyderabad eye hospital. He added with the installation of YAG Laser machine, new era of laser surgery had begun in the city.

He said it was responsibility of well-wishers of the university to work hard and produce better results in all fields of medical sciences.

He promised Liaquat University would be made a centre of learning and research to create job opportunities for expert graduates.

He announced the LUHMS would start its own examination system for undergraduates, postgraduates and nursing section.

The VC pointed out kidney transplantation had started in the Liaquat hospital while many graduates of this university were doing post graduation in various fields abroad.

He congratulated the office bearers and members of Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan (OSP) Hyderabad zone for holding this conference.

Special guest Prof Yasin Durrani said the ophthalmologists of the country had been appreciated at national and international forums.

Earlier, president of the OSP Hyderabad chapter Prof Saeed Ahmed Khan presented welcome address and secretary of the society Prof Nazir Ashraf Leghari presented report of the activities of the society. He informed ophthalmic library had been set up at Hyderabad.

Prof Memon, Prof Durrani and Prof Mumtaz Mirza gave shields to Prof Akbar Haider Soomro, Prof Ziauddin Shaikh, Prof Imtiaz Ali, Prof Idrees, Prof Mukhtiar Ahmed, Prof Akhtar Jamal, Dr Sohail Ahmed, Dr Azam Ali, Dr PS Mahar, Dr Asad Abbas, Dr Javed Niazi, Dr Mansoor Farooq, and others.

Later, Prof Memon inaugurated the exhibition of latest equipments related to eye surgery.

Several companies set up stalls and displayed equipments and medicines.

The conference was largely attended by ophthalmologists, eye surgeons and doctors.

A scientific session was also held in which Prof Akbar Haider, Prof Saleh Memon, Prof Ziauddin Shaikh, Prof Idrees, Prof Syed Imtiaz Ali, Prof Ghulam Ali Memon, Dr Mukhtiar Ahmed, Dr PS Mahar read papers.

In fourth session Prof Imtiaz Ali, Dr Azam Ali, Dr Asad Abbas, Dr Sohail Ahmed, Dr A Ghayoor and Dr Mehmood Saud read papers. The fifth session was presided over by Dr Akhtar Jamal.