We are spending much more on managing complication
than on prevention – Gen. Azhar Mahmud Kayani
PHL Annual Conference at Lahore
LAHORE: Young patients coming with Acute Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, Stroke and Kidney Failure indicates that we all healthcare professionals are not doing our job professionally. We all need to create awareness in public about hypertension, emphasize its early identification and appropriate treatment. This was sated by Prof. Maj.Gen.(Retd) Azhar Mahmud Kayani an eminent cardiologist and former Chief Executive of Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology while speaking at the inaugural session of Pakistan Hypertension League conference held here from September 19th to 21st 2025. It attracted a large number of cardiologists from all over the country.
Major Gen. (Retd) Azhar Kayani former Executive Director of Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology was the chief guest in the inaugural session of PHL conference held at Lahore from September 19-21st 2025. Picture shows him chairing the inaugural session along with (from L To R) Prof. Saulat Siddique, Dr. Azra Mahmood, Prof. Raj Kumar, Gen. Azhar Kayani, Prof. M. Ishaq, Prof. Kashif Hashmi, Prof. Bilal Mohyuddin and Prof. Qazi Abdul Saboor Convener of the conference.
We all, he further stated, need to show commitment and check our blood pressure. People do not check their BP. I wish we can install blood pressure measurement equipment at all the public places, Railway Stations and Malls so that people can put their arm in and measure their blood pressure. At present we are spending much more on management of hypertension complications rather than on prevention. We need to pay more attention to undertake preventive measures and not be content with holding such conferences, we need to train our doctors, he remarked. Hypertension has now emerged as an epidemic with a prevalence of over 43% in Pakistan. Only 35% of these patients are under treatment and just 11% have controlled their blood pressure.
Earlier Prof. Kashif Hashmi current President of Pakistan Hypertension League highlighted the activities of PHL organizing conferences, workshops, public awareness sessions all over the country. It also organized numerous training courses for family physicians and General Practitioners. In recognition of these activities it earned the Hypertension Excellence Award for the Year 2025, he added.
Group photograph shows some of the eminent delegates who
were present at the recently held PHL Conference at Lahore.
Prof. Muhammad Ishaq former President and Founder member of Pakistan Hypertension League in his address commended the organizers for making excellent arrangements for the meeting and also selection of Gen. Azhar Mahmud Kayani as Chief Guest. It is time that we honour our own professional colleagues rather than inviting politicians on such occasions, he remarked. Hypertension awareness, he further stated, is very low, training of healthcare professionals also leaves much to be desired. We not only need to create awareness but implement policies. Hypertension management Guidelines should be promoted and its implementation by healthcare professionals should be ensured. We also need to strengthen the local chapters of PHL so that they can improve their functions. He also paid rich tributes to Prof. Ejaz Ahmad Vohra and Prof. Kalimuddin Aziz two founder members of PHL who passed away recently. They had contributed a great deal to PHL. Prof. Kalimuddin Aziz prepared the first Guidelines for management of hypertension in children while Prof. Ejaz Ahmad Vohra was a silent worker, he added.
Prof. Qazi Abdul Saboor Convener of the conference in his welcome address pointed out that such conferences provide an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and social networking which are helpful in professional development. Tracing the history of Dept. of Cardiology at Sheikh Zayed Hospital he said the department was established by Prof. Ashfaq Ahmad. Prof. Saulat Siddique and Prof.Ambar Malik followed him and at present I am heading this department. We have organized many conferences of Pakistan Cardiac Society and Pakistan Hypertension League, organized workshops, celebrated World Heart Day and World Hypertension Day contributing to create awareness about the importance of early detection of hypertension and its appropriate treatment to prevent serious complications. It is an accredited center for training by American Heart Association. We also organized pre-conference workshops all over the country including many institutions in Lahore, he added.
Group photograph of some of the delegates who attended the
PHL conference held at Lahore from Sept. 19th to 21st 2025.
Earlier two Video presentations on efficacy of wearable devices for control of high blood pressure and Hypertension Prevention Guidelines were also presented. The conference scientific programme was spread over numerous sessions which were devoted to Hypertension and Brain, Go Red session for Women, Hypertension, Ischemic Heart Disease, Hypertension and Heart Failure, PHL Registry, Shark Tank Cardiology, Hypertension and Intervention, Cardio metabolic Premier League, besides panel discussion on capacity building for future doctors. There was a session for nurses, Prevention of hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome and obesity, Imaging. On Saturday morning the scientific programme started with a session on Aspirin Update. A number of posters were on display at the conference venue highlighting various aspects of Hypertension. Another special session was devoted to Lipid Forum. Details of some of the sessions to follow.
