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ISLAMABAD, Oct 30 (APP): Leading emergency care specialists from Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the UAE, and the United States have called for urgent nationwide reform of Pakistan’s emergency and trauma care systems. The call was made at the National Emergency Medicine Conference 2025, hosted by Shifa International Hospital on October 29–30.
The objective of the landmark event was to strengthen clinical training, establish world class emergency departments, and improve patient survival rates through the Collaborative Hubs of Academic Learning Organisations (CHALO) initiative which is an international framework boosting emergency response capacity and healthcare leadership across the country.
Pakistan’s healthcare landscape entered a pivotal phase as the Pakistan Society of Emergency Medicine (PSEM) convened the conference, marking the nation’s growing commitment to making emergency medicine a cornerstone of accessible healthcare. Supported by the Government of Pakistan and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the initiative aims to ensure every patient receives timely, lifesaving care regardless of geographic or resource limitations.
“Emergency medicine is the true game changer for Pakistan’s healthcare system,” said Dr. Abdus Salam Khan, Emergency Consultant at Shifa International Hospital and Founder & Former President of PSEM. Dr. Khawaja Junaid Mustafa, Chief Medical Officer at Shifa International Hospital and President PSEM, emphasized that developing internationally recognized emergency departments has become a national priority.
The two-day conference featured high impact sessions led by global experts.
Day 1 focused on Clinical Core Skills and Paediatric Emergency Care. Presentations were delivered by Dr. Qasim Sahi, Dr. Tamkeen Pervez, Dr. Anwer Qureshi, Dr. Nadeem Ashraf, and Dr. Mahvish Ahmad (UK).
A dynamic “Challenge the Experts” panel included Dr. Amjid Mohammed (UK), Dr. Adris Razzaq (UK), Dr. Faraaz Bhatti (USA), and Dr. Mueed Ahmad (UAE). The paediatric segment, featuring Dr. Syeda Sobya Owais (Shifa International Hospital), Dr. Emadudin Siddiqi (AKU), Dr. Anisa Jafar (UK), and Dr. Mashood Qazi (UAE), highlighted critical child specific emergency needs.
Day 2 centered on Resuscitation Science, Policy, and Leadership. Dr. Junaid Razzak (USA) opened the day by outlining advanced resuscitation strategies adaptable to Pakistan’s healthcare settings.
Subsequent sessions stressed the importance of national triage development and disaster readiness. Experts included Dr. Abdul Sattar, Dr. Beenish Hameed, Dr. Faraaz Bhatti (USA), Dr. Naeem Toosy (UAE), Dr. Faisal Subhani, Dr. Salman Khan, Dr. Mueed Ahmad, and Dr. Azer Shaikh.
A Leadership and Workforce Development session was co-chaired by Dr. Abdus Salam Khan and Dr. Taj Hassan (UK). It featured Mr. Fergal Hickey (Ireland), Mr. John Heyworth (UK), Dr. Junaid Razzak (USA), and Dr. Tamkeen Pervaiz, who underscored the urgent need to train future emergency leaders and strengthen academic partnerships.
Concluding the event, Dr. Abdus Salam Khan remarked that Pakistan now stands “at the threshold of a new era in emergency care , where training, technology, and teamwork will ensure no patient is ever denied timely treatment.”