PGMI principal stresses visionary leadership to transform healthcare and medical education

LAHORE, Jul 10 (APP): Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Principal Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal said on Friday strong managerial and leadership capabilities are an added qualification for healthcare providers, stressing that the real transformation in medical education and healthcare institutions depends on visionary leadership rather than modern infrastructure alone.

He expressed these views while addressing a one-day workshop titled “Leadership in Healthcare,” organised by the Department of Medical Education at Amiruddin Medical College (AMC) and Lahore General Hospital (LGH) under the Faculty Development Program 2026.

Prof. Farooq Afzal said the biggest challenge facing hospitals was not merely managing daily operations but developing faculty members and clinicians with leadership qualities who could inspire and guide the next generation of medical professionals. He added that the workshop aimed to prepare faculty members as effective leaders capable of contributing to institutional development, medical education, research and quality patient care.

He said leadership in healthcare was not confined to administrative responsibilities but involved motivating teams, encouraging innovation and creating an environment where education, research and patient care received equal attention. He stressed that world-class healthcare systems could only be built by producing doctors who were not only skilled clinicians but also effective leaders.

The workshop was conducted by medical education experts Prof. Dr. Samir Riaz Qazi and Prof. Mahwish Arooj, who trained participants in modern healthcare leadership strategies, effective communication, teamwork, conflict resolution and timely decision-making in high-pressure hospital settings.

Speakers at the workshop said leadership was not a position but a way of thinking and acting, requiring vision, integrity and empathy. They highlighted transformational leadership as the key to addressing contemporary healthcare challenges and achieving sustainable improvements.

Chief Organizer Prof. Amina Ahsan Cheema said the Faculty Development Program was designed to empower teachers and strengthen the future of medical education.

At the end of the workshop, participants pledged to implement the knowledge and leadership principles learned during the session in their respective departments to enhance teaching standards and improve patient care. The event was also attended by Medical Superintendent Prof. Faryad Hussain, Dr. Saira Zeeshan, faculty members and other senior doctors.