Conference on Lung Diseases & TB/HIV
Pakistan Chest Society arranged a two-day International Conference on Lung Diseases, Tuberculosis/ HIV in collaboration with Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Dow University of Medical Sciences, National TB Control Program and Bridge Consultants Foundation recently at a local hotel in Karachi.
According to Dr. Mosavir Ansarie, President Pakistan Chest Society, Sindh. The initial idea behind the event was to invite experts to update the physicians of the province of Sindh on important issues in Pulmonology 2009, but it was decided to boarded the spectrum of information by joining together with DUMS-OICD, NTP and Bridge group to encompass TB and HIV/AIDS alongwith Lung Diseases in organizing the international Conference. But the international contribution was marred by regrets and excuses pertaining to security fears in the country. There were altogether ten Scientific Sessions held in the two days. Four on the first Day and six on the second day of the conference.
At the inaugural ceremony, Chief Guest was Prof. Masood Hameed Khan, Vice Chancellor, Dow University of Health Sciences. The welcome address was presented by
Dr. Mosavir Ansarie. Dr. Ismat Ara paid tributes to Dr. Hasan Sadiq. Later, Dr. Arshad Javed the presented Hasan Sadiq Memorial Lecture on ‘Future of Respiratory Medicine in Pakistan’. In the end, vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Shahina Qayyum. There were stalls set up by Pharmaceutical companies.
On the first day of the conference many interesting papers were presented in the four Sessions. The first session was on Chronic Obstructive Airway Diseases in which Dr. Nadeem Rizvi pre-sented an Overview of COPD. On the subject of Differences and Simi-larities between Asthma and COPD, Dr. Zafar Hussan Iqbal presented his paper. Dr. Suleman Haque spoke on End-of-Life decisions in COPD – who, what and how. The other paper was on Role of Surgery in COPD- VATS, Lung Transplant by Dr. Saulat Fatimi.
In the Session on TB Control there were four papers. The first paper was by Dr. Noor Ahmed Baloch on Overview of TB situation in Pakistan in Pakistan and progress towards MDG. Dr. Ejaz Qadeer presented an Update on research on Tuberculosis and its Implication on TB Control Strategies. Dr. Salem George paper was on MDR Challenges and opportunities as Public Health Problem in Pakistan. The last paper was on Public Private mix for TB Control in Pakistan by Dr. Abdul Ghafoor.
The next Session was on Asthma inn which four papers were presented. There were on Acute Severe Asthma in the ICU by Dr. Salim Surani, Difficult to treat Asthma by Dr. Zubair Shaheen, Allergic Brochopulmonary Aspergillosis by Dr. Asif Ali Imam and Childhood Asthma by Dr. Arshalooz Rahman.
There was the Session on Pulmonary Tuberculosis. The papers presented were diagnostic tools in tuber-culosis by Dr. Rumina Hasan, MDR / XDR Tuberculosis by Dr. Nasir Rao, Treatment of Tuberculosis in special situation by Dr. Khurshiduz-Zaman, Radiological pre-sentation of Pulmonary Tuberculosis by Dr, Tanveer-ul-Haq and Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis by Dr. Nazim Bukhari.
On Day 2, the first session was on Critical Care. The four papers presented were on Physiological basis of PPV: What a Chest Physician should know to manage Respiratory Failure by Dr. Nawal Salahuddin. The second paper was on ARDS. So what’s new by Dr. Iqbal Ratnani. On Life threatening Pulmonary Embolism paper was presented by Dr. Javed Hussain. On Mechanical Ventilation and Weaning in COPD, the paper was presented by Dr. Wajid Ali.
The new Session was on Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation, the paper presented were Tobacco Control: Current Challenges for Pakistan by Dr. Javaid A. Khan; WHO Package for Tobacco Control by Dr. Shahzad Khan WHO; Tobacco Control in Pakistan and role of Media by Shahina Maqbool and Smoking Cessation by Dr. Muhammad Irfan.
In the Session on ILD/ Interventional Pulmonology Dr. Mosavir Ansarie presented paper o Approach to a patient with ILD. On New Modalities in Chest Imaging Dr. Zafar Sajjad presented his paper. Dr. Muhammad Naeem was presented his paper on illustrative cases of ILD. Dr. Arshad Hussain presented interesting paper on New Intervention in Pulmonary Medicine in which he explained the technique of freezing cancer cells in lung cancer therapy.
Earlier, there was the also a session on Environmental Lung Health / Pulmonary Infections. The papers presented were Occupational Lung Diseases by Dr. Mukhtar Zaman; Air Pollution by Dr. Zafar Fatmi; Emerging threat of Drug-resistant TB: Experience of treating MDR-TB in a Community-based program by Dr, Naseem Salahuddin and the last paper was on Prevention of hospital acquired pulmonary infections by Dr. Afia Zafar.
In the Session on Pleural Diseases/Malignancy the Papers presented were Evidence based management of Pleural Diseases by Dr. Sohail Akhtar; Empyema thoracis: medical vs surgical management by Dr. Ali Raza; Current evidence in management of lung cancer by Dr. Najeeb Naimatullah and the Management of Pneumothorax by Dr. Saleemullah.
The last session of the Conference was on HIV and Tuberculosis. The four Papers presented were by Dr. Sharaft Ali Shah on HIV and Tuberculosis: A Co-existing threat of TB/HIV Co-infection in Pakistan: Challenges and Opportunities. Opportunistic infection in HIV/AIDS by Dr. Shehla Baqi. TB/HIV activities under Global Fund for AIDS. TB and Malaria (GFATM) in Pakistan Dr. Zafar Toor. The last presentation was Improving Diagnosis of smear negative pulmonary and extra pulmonary TB among HIV/AIDS patients by Dr. M. Rafique Khanani.
In the Concluding Session the organizers thanked the participants and the doctors for their efforts in presenting interesting papers which would enhance the knowledge of the participants and learn from the experience and research of eminent doctors. The interaction between them during the Conference would also benefit them. In the end Shields and mementos were presented to the members of the Organizing Committees of the conference.