LAHORE : (Monday, February 08, 2010): Vice-Chancellor Punjab University Prof Dr Mujhaid Kamran has stated that the government is attaching paramount importance to the promotion of modern medical education in order to enhance the number of highly qualified and trained medical practitioners with a view to ensuring availability of latest healthcare facilities at the door steps of poor people.

He was addressing the white coat ceremony organized on the commencement of first year class of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Medical and Dental College in Sheikh Zayed Hospital here on Monday afternoon. Federal Secretary Cabinet Division Abdul Rauf Ch. and a large number of medical students, their parents and faculty members were also present.

Dr Mujahid Kamran said that the country was in dire need of highly trained medical expertise. As such the students should improve their academic and clinical capabilities by keeping themselves fully abreast with the latest advancements in medical health and technology. He said saving of one human being amounts to safeguarding the entire humanity. He said the medical profession is considered to be the most noblest profession due to the selfless services rendered by the medical fraternity for providing relief to the distressed humanity. He said the development of education and medical sector was badly neglected in the past. The USA is presently spending seven percent of its GDP or one thousand dollars on education whereas Pakistan is incurring an expenditure of 450 billion dollars or 1.8 percent of its GDP towards this purpose. Similarly our expenditure on research and development is woefully low at 0.2 percent of our GDP while the US is spending 2.7 percent or 390 billion dollars on R& D. He said out of a population of one million, the strength of R&D experts in USA, Japan, Israel, Iran and Pakistan is 4100, 4900, 1600, 600 and 78, respectively. He impressed upon the student community that during their studies they should never be afraid of asking questions as this will help them comprehend their subject better and accelerate their mental growth. The students should also cultivate wide reading habit beyond their text books to gain a well-rounded world view and to become a fuller human being. The doctors should also take patients into confidence while treating their ailments and sickness to help change the patient's attitude so as to speed up their recovery.

Earlier the Chairman Sheikh Zayed Hospital Dr Anwar A Khan in his speech observed that patient care and treatment at Sheikh Zayed Hospital is second to none in the country that is why hundreds of patients visits the hospital every month from across the country. He said the white coat symbolizes compassion, care and selfless service to the ailing humanity which is rendered by the medical practitioners. He said due to the fully equipped modern laboratory and highly qualified faculty members, the freshly-admitted students would be imparted the best medical education. He said worth half a medical practitioner can never by valued in terms of money.

Speaking on the occasion the college principal Dr Zafar Iqbal stated that by seeking admission in the pioneer class in MBBS at Shiekh Al-Nahiyan Medical and Dental College the dreams of the students and their parent have come true.