Colorectal Disease: Pre-conference workshop at Colo Con-2020

KARACHI: A two-day pre-conference workshop of the Colo Con-2020 was recently held. The event was organized by the Colorectal Disease Patients Welfare Association, Dow University of Health Sciences at the OT complex of Civil Hospital, Karachi. The Principal of Dow Medical College, Prof Amjad Siraj Memon chaired the conference. Famous social activist, Faisal Edhi, Colorectal Surgeon from UK, Prof Amjad Pervez Cheema, Prof Tas Qureshi, Dr Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Abbasi, Dr Khursheed A Samu, Prof Sajda Qureshi, Prof Shehryar Ghazanfar, Prof Shafeeq-ur-Rehman, Prof Farhat Jaleel, Prof Mohammad Zubair, Prof Saad Khalid Niaz, Dr Samiya Saeed, Dr Hina Khan, Dr Agha Jan Mohammad, and a large number of senior faculty members and doctors attended the conference

While addressing the crowd, Prof Amjad Siraj Memon noted that the Civil Hospital Surgical Ward 3 had performed 800 surgeries for colorectal disease (disease of the large intestine), out of which 113 operations were for colon cancer. These surgeries were done free of cost. In this regard, Surgical Ward 3 was considered one of the world's highest-volume surgery wards, said Siraj.

Prof Amjad Siraj Memon said that the specialized work was started under the guidance of Prof Mohammed Saeed Quraishy. Funding of 78 students from the Dow Medical College and former students of the Cadet College Petaro made it possible to cure colon cancer in Surgery Ward 3 of the Civil Hospital. Diagnostic tests were quite expensive earlier, but now, with the help of former students and friends, a testing facility has also been provided in the Civil Hospital, Karachi.

Prof Amjad added that Prof Adeeb Rizvi had provided us with a free chemo or radiotherapy facility for the patients. Foreign colorectal experts were being called to familiarize young doctors with the latest techniques by practicing advanced laparoscopy and robotic surgery, noted Amjad.

Prof SIraj said that usually, colon surgery cost between 5 and 800,000 rupees, while for the needy, this operation was free without any linguistic distinction. Prof Memon added that the youth was generally more prone to this disease. Most patients between the ages of sixteen and 30 years underwent surgery, while the common belief was that older people over 60 suffer from colon cancer; however, such impression was incorrect.

Faisal Edhi said that in the workshop, experts from abroad had guided doctors on modern practices. He informed that his services were available in the Civil Hospital for Surgery Ward 3. Treatment facilities had been extended from 2 pm to 5 pm with the support of the Edhi Foundation.

Speaking on occasion, Dr Amjad Pervaiz Cheema, quoted it as "a good experience." He was pleased to learn that the announcements made here were also implemented. An example of this was the Diabetic Fitness Center, which would benefit both the patients and doctors. These examples must be followed elsewhere in the country.

Dr Amjad Cheema said that only trained doctors could serve the patients better. Young doctors were our assets, but they were not getting what they needed, and whatever was being done for them was not sufficient in such advanced era. As a result, frustration was on the rise, and a two-way process of teaching and learning should be adopted to overcome this frustration.

Dr Cheema rejected the impression that operations could be done based on the facilities available in the UK. He said that it was possible to conduct such operation depending on the facilities available in Pakistan. “We have to change our thinking and think ahead; you should make the most of the training course,” he said.

Dr Pervaiz said “In the UK, there is an impression that we despise the expression of illiteracy; it is evil to answer any question, no matter how wrong it is. Thus, if there is no answer to the asked question in general, then you should apologize for it.” He further said that the anatomy of the human body had not changed since 2000 years. “If we do research on it, we will become successful surgeons,” told Pervaiz.

Prof Amjad Pervaiz Cheema appreciated the efforts that went into conducting this event and congratulated the association in this regard.