Some 91 graduates including 25 boys and 66 girls conferred with the BDS degree at the 15th Convocation of Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi held on Saturday at Bahria Auditorium here. Overall 18 gold medals for Role of Honours (Highest marks in the subject in the university examination) 13 shields for top positions and 93 distinctions in various subjects were awarded to graduates at the convocation ceremony.
Dr Sagheer Ahmed, the Health Minister, in his response as the chief guest said that in those days of upheaval and uncertainty, events such as this convocation, adds to the hopes and aspirations of the nation, for a better and progressive future. He said that at the very onset, conveyed that the graduates, "the younger generation, are the ones on whom he pins his hopes for a better future of the elderly of today and the young ones of tomorrow."
He further said that it was true that he represented the government of Sindh and was doing all possible to bring relief and assistance to the people. MQM, the party to which he belonged, was of the common man and the man from the streets. While congratulating the graduates and their parents he as a medical professional himself, advised them not to forget those unfortunate and un-affording citizens, on whom they learnt by practice and on whom their teachers taught them the art of healing.
Vice Chancellor, University of Karachi, Professor Dr Muhammad Qaiser noted that Fatima Jinnah Dental College was primarily an undergraduate college for studies of BDS, but it had played a leading role in the faculty development and research. "This was the need of the time. It has produced a large number of postgraduates with qualifications of MCPS and FCPS from College of Physicians & Surgeon Pakistan. It has also produced MPhils, MS, MSc and PhDs from KU and other renowned national and overseas universities", he added.
FJDC Principal, Professor Dr Tasleem Hosein in her annual report mentioned the achievements made by the college in the last 20 years. She recounted the research papers produced by the faculty during the year as eight papers by the Dept of Oral Path, Oral Med and Oral Surgery, 17 papers by the Dept of Operative Dentistry, nine by the Dept of Orthodontics, six by the Dept of Biochemistry, 10 by the Dept of Physiology, two by the Dept of Dental Materials, seven by the Dept of Community Dentistry and eight by the Dept of Pharmacology.
She also mentioned the achievements of the faculty members. Among them Dr Saqib Rashid, Head Department of Operative Dentistry was conferred the Fellowship of the International Congress of Implantologists this year, while Dr Fauzia Hamid and Dr Fehmida Soomro were two of our trainees who cleared FCPS, just this week, she mentioned.
Earlier, CEO & Head of FJDC, Dr Baqar Askary, while introducing the Health Minister Dr Sagheer Abmed lauded the services of the Minister for improvements in the health delivery system in the province. He specially mentioned that in keeping with the health policy of the government medical facilities were being provided to the people at the grassroots level.