23rd Neurology Update, 6th National Headache Conference
We need to be progressive but ensure cost effective healthcare- Saad Khalid Niaz
Functional Imaging, AI are being used to discover mysteries of brain and nervous system- Naila Shahbaz
KARACHI: We need to be progressive but at the same time must ensure cost effective health services. Primary healthcare is Government’s first priority. We are also working on Health Insurance scheme and within the shot time that is at our disposal, we will try to set the direction in health services. This was stated by Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, Provincial Health Minister while speaking at the inaugural session of 23rd International Neurology Update and 6th National Headache conference organized by Pakistan Society of Neurology in collaboration with Pakistan Headache Society and Dow University of Health Sciences held here from December 15th to December 17th 20-23. The conference was well attended by participants from all over the country while a number of eminent guest speakers from overseas also made presentations through video link.
Continuing Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz said that they are working to ensure that primary healthcare is linked with secondary and then tertiary care facilities. We wish to promote the concept of Wellness Clinics. Good primary healthcare will take care of most of the routine medical disorders and also reduce rush at secondary and tertiary care facilities. At present there is lot of disparity in health services and we have not given it a serious thought for the last many years. Emphasizing the importance of judicious use of scarce financial resources Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz said that the amount needed for the repair and maintenance for another five years of three MRIs and ten CT Scans which are not functioning at present in the province will cost must less finances than the three Robotic Surgery systems which the Sindh Government had planned to purchase. We need to set our priorities right. We need your help to keep focus on these areas, he remarked.
Our efforts are directed at changing the practice of health services in the province in the little time that we have at our disposal. However we do hope that the incoming government will continue these policies which are in the best interest of the people and the province. Thanking the organizes for the kind invitation, he said, it is a pleasure to be among the brainy people. I myself find it very difficult to understand the brain and diseases of the central nervous system. There is lot of pressure under which I am working. The salary of a Minister is so little that I have to work and continue my practice to earn to meet the cost of living.
Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz also referred to the atrocities being committed on the people of Ghaza in Palestine. Human beings, hospitals, ambulances are being constantly bombed for the last two months and the United Nations as well as world humanitarian organizations have miserably failed to stop this massacre and atrocities. The West is watching silently and the Islamic World has also failed to put some pressure to stop this war. We have not been able to play our role and the Palestinians continue to suffer. It is tragic to see infants, babies being murdered and all this has failed to shake the conscience of the world humanity, he added.
Earlier President of Pakistan Society of Neurology Prof. Adnan Khan in his brief address thanked all the participants and speakers for their contributions to make the conference a success.
Dr. Naila Naeem Shahbaz Chairperson of the conference in her welcome address pointed out that there have been significant transformation research in brain and nervous system. These developments are at the cutting edge technology. Functional imaging and Artificial Intelligence are being increasingly used to discover the mysteries of the brain. We are witnessing advances in professionalism and dynamic field of neurology.
Later Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz presented Mementoes to a few patrons of the conferenced who were present which included Dr. Aziz Sonawala, Dr. Adnan Khan President of Pakistan Society of Neurology. Prof. Akhtar Sherin, Prof. M. Wasay and Dr. Mamoona Siddiqui were also presented Presidential Awards by the society. Dr. Bashir Soomro Co-Chairperson of the conference presented vote of thanks.
Pre- conference Workshops Scientific programme of the conference included four Pre-conference workshops held on the first day. In the morning session. Dr. Farooq Rathore facilitated workshop on Neuro-Rehabilitation for the Neurologists while the other scheduled workshop was on “Unraveling the mysteries of Neuro ophthalmology” by DR. Umapathi. In the afternoon Prof. Zafar Sajjad facilitated workshop on “Beyond the Image: Decoding Neurology through Radiology” while Dr. Masood Jawaid facilitated workshop on “Research Reinvented: Power of Artificial Intelligence”. Second day of the conference was devoted to Neurology Update while the third day was devoted to Headaches wherein invited guest speakers made presentations on a wide range of related subjects. Proceedings of some of these presentations to follow.
