JAMSHORO: The Avicenna Gold Medal has been conferred on Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ikram Din Ujjan by the Brain Trust Charity, United Kingdom (UK) for his invaluable services rendered in fields of academics, research and community services.
The VC has been decorated with the prestigious award by Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Afridi (Meritorious & Distinguished National Professor of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre – Karachi) on behalf of Prof Dr Ahmed Ali Khan (Dean – Tony Buzan Academy and President, Pakistan Chapter, the Brain Trust Charity, United Kingdom) at Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, LUMHS.
Prof Dr Ikram Din Ujjan who is a eminent hematologist with extensive academic and research experience in blood diseases is also vice chancellor of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro.
He is a popular pathologist among patients and colleagues because of his impeccable expertise, amenable instinct, soft-spoken and God-fearing disposition.
The VC has been working as the lead administrator of the Diagnostic and Research Laboratory (DRL) of LUMHS. The laboratory has two main labs (one in Hyderabad and second in Karachi) and a vast network of stat [urgent test service] labs and collection units around the province.
During the major challenges following the frustrating Covid-19 pandemic, he left no stone unturned and worked untiringly for timely testing of masses throughout Sindh. In recognition of his outstanding and tireless services, Nanjing Medical University China has appointed him as Director of Asian Consortium for Arsenic and Health Research.
When it comes to his marvelous academic and medical career, Prof Ujjan started to win many laurels in the field of hematology and earned his M.Phil degree with a gold medal from Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Lahore, University of Health Sciences, Lahore and PhD in hematology. He has received fellowship from College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP) as his shining academic endeavours bristles with MBBS, M.Phil, FCPS, PhD and DSc.
Prof Ujjan conceived the brainchild to open pathology laboratories (Labs) at the government’s level to benefit the poor and needy patients. Laboratories play an important role in diagnostics and lead to proper treatment. If the cost is high or the reports are compromised due to low standards of laboratory equipment that result in massive human loss and pose a huge burden on the economy. Since a great majority of population is living below the poverty line, thus, it was utmost important to address this issue.
On the other hand, the health department is working hard for the betterment of the local healthcare system, so he put everything together. The laboratory was actually established in 2002 and was limited to the civil hospital only. Thus as soon as he took over the charge of administrator, he immediately thought of taking services to the doorstep of poor people so that they do not have to travel all the way to Hyderabad for their tests. Now the LUMHS retain its stat [urgent test service] labs and collection units in almost every city. So basically he wanted to provide all laboratory investigations.
Image of the vast DRL network!
Moreover, talking to Newstaj, he said: “The DRL goes through all quality standard checks on a regular basis. So, there is no question / doubt about the quality standards of our tests in comparison to any laboratory around. We are offering the same quality standards in all routine and special lab tests at around 60 – 75 per cent lower costs as compared to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). Not only AKUH but our tests are lower in cost as compared to other laboratories in the country as well.”
Talking about the LUMHS, he said it has been active in helping the community in every natural calamity. It has managed to arrange well-organized and well-equipped medical relief camps recently in various flood-hit localities providing medical check-ups and medicines to the needy and poor.
“We operated a mobile ambulance service which provided healthcare facilities to the patients who couldn’t reach camps or those who were in need of hospitalization. Now we offer our services to the government for training of the staff for properly managing diseases,” he said.
