International symposium starts at Institute of Child Health & Children Hospital

Lahore: The 2-day 11^th annual symposium of Institute of Child Health & Children Hospital started from March 18. As many as 900 medical experts from various countries including Pakistan, Britain and India are participating in the event. The symposium will comprise five sessions whereas 20 research papers will be read out and 15 lectures will be delivered. Experts will speak on the topic of research and treatment of rare diseases of children.

This was informed by Dean Children Hospital Prof. Masood Sadiq while addressing a press conference here today. Medical Director Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Prof. Shazia and delegates from India and Britain were also present on the occasion.

Prof. Masood Sadiq told that bone marrow transplant and kidney and liver transplantation at Children Hospital will start in three phases and in the first phase, facility of bone marrow transplant will be available within next three months.

He said that doctors of Children Hospital are getting training for this purpose at National Institute of Blood Diseases Karachi. He further informed that Dr. Satish Rao, Dr. Ali Akbar, Dr. Julie Simpson and Dr. Caroline from Birmingham, Britain and Dr. Neelum Mohan from India have reached Children Hospital. He said that arrangements for pre and post symposium workshop have also been made and these medical education and training activities will continue for two weeks.

Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore said that Children Hospital is bringing international experts to Pakistan through various programmes and symposium at Children Hospital and foreign experts are giving head on training to local doctors. He said that new indoor block of Children Hospital has been completed and will soon be made operational due to which the capacity of the hospital will increase by 600 beds and 16 operation theaters.

He further said that there is a need for treatment of common diseases of children at DHQ hospitals and it is also included in the agenda of the symposium. He said that an agreement has been signed between Children Hospital Lahore and Children Hospital Birmingham for training in organ transplant and Prof. Dr. Khalid Sharif is providing training and fellowship facility to Pakistani doctors at Birmingham Hospital due to which trained doctors would be available at the local level.