Pakistan Medical Association has demanded an inquiry into the death of Dr Sarwar Jehan Zuberi, who died of faciparum malaria at a local hospital on Wednesday.
Speaking at the meeting of condolence, held at the PMA House on Thursday to pay Dr Zuberi tributes for her contribution to the promotion of research and higher medical education in Pakistan, eminent doctors said that her death was a blow to the entire medical fraternity. "The void her death has created would be difficult to fill."
The speakers found it annoying that Dr Zuberi contracted faciparum malaria due to blood transfusion that had taken place after her knee operations. Faciparum malaria leads to cerebral malaria, which ultimately leads to multiple failure of organs.
They said that the medical ethics committee of the PMA should take up the case and find out who faulted and where.
They said that it should be the beginning of an inquiry into a case that might have taken many more lives and had remained unreported.
Doctors said that the disease was spreading and should be controlled on war footings.
'MISLEADING STATEMENT': They said that it was a misleading statement of the government that malaria had been "wiped out from Pakistan". It had not, they added.
They criticised the government for its wasteful expenditure on luxury and fashionable slogans whereas the basic need for primary health care had never been taken care of.
The doctors said that it was the time to leave "fashionable slogan" regarding HIV/AIDS and other related issues and concentrate on strengthening primary health care in Pakistan. "The other issues can also be looked into simultaneously," the added.
The pharmaceuticals and the doctors would jointly have to think in terms of developing preventive medicines for common ailments that usually lead to deaths. "The case of Dr Sarwar Jehan Zuberi is an example of our apathy towards developing cheaper and effective preventive medicines for common ailments."
Dr Azhar Farooqui, director, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, said that the presence of Dr Zuberi was a matter of honour and pride for the people of Pakistan.
Her contribution to medical research and promotion of higher education in Pakistan, in addition to her other works, would always be remembered. "Her death is a national loss," he added.
He said that when he came back to Pakistan from abroad after completing his higher studies and was still unsettled in the profession, she came forward and encouraged him to stay in Pakistan.
He said that she might have encouraged many more doctors to stay in Pakistan and serve the people. In this way, she had done a great service to this country, he said.
Dr Azhar Farooqui said that she loved her country and wanted others to serve its interest.
TRENDSETTER: Dr Haroon Ahmed, the renowned psychiatrist, said that Dr Zuberi was a trendsetter in medical research in Pakistan. "Whenever we think of research methodology, hepatomegaly, gastroenterology and PMA, she comes to mind."
Dr Ahmed said that they should try to know what had happened to her. The cause of her death, the death of the most outstanding medical scientist, should not be allowed to go without investigation.
He paid her tributes and said that she was a role model for many of us. Dr Aziz Khan Tank remembered her qualities of mind and said that she was thorough in her subject.
Her greatest contribution is Journal of Pakistan Medical Association (JPMA), the only indexed journal of Pakistan. She worked for more than 30 years for the JPMA and raised its standard to international level. She had immense intellectual capacity and would never compromise on questions of integrity and quality of her publications.
Her more than 100 publications and her contribution as editor, JPMA, would be remembered for long. Medical history of Pakistan would remain incomplete without her reference and mention of her work. She was a widely travelled research scientist. She was awarded Pride of Performance for her contribution to medical research and education.
Former presidents of PMA Professor S. M. Rub, Professor Tipu Sultan, Dr Badar Siddiqui, former secretary general Professor Shershah Syed, President PMA, Karachi Zone, Dr Haseeb Alam, Dr Farrukh and Dr Sharitullah were among others who eulogised Dr Zuberi's services and talked about their experience of either working with her or remaining associated with her in her scientific pursuits.
Retired Colonel Zuberi, Dr Zuberi's brother, and her nephew H J Zuberi briefly addressed the meeting.
Associate Professor of Surgery at the Civil Hospital Dr Shafiqur Rehman announced that a few more operation theatres were being constructed in the hospital and one of them would be named after Dr Zuberi.
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