Global Rheumatology Educational Initiative 2023 (In collaboration with Arthritis Care Foundation)

Rheumatology division of the Department of Medicine, KEMU organized the 3rd annual meeting of the Global Rheumatology Educational Initiative 2023, in collaboration with Arthritis Care Foundation.

It was held in the Audiovisual Room, Patiala Block, KEMU on Tuesday, 10th October 2023.

Dr. Yasir Imran ( Assistant Prof Rheumatology ) welcomed the two founder trustees of Arthritis Care Foundation ( ACF ), under whose auspices the activity had been arranged: Prof Dr. Nighat Mir, Pakistan’s pioneer Rheumatologist and Prof Dr. Sumaira Farman, Pakistan’s pioneer paediatric rheumatologist.

The session was formally inaugurated with the recitation of the Holy Quran. The house then rose for the National Anthem. The proceedings of the meeting were moderated by Dr Sarah Samreen ( Senior Registrar East Medicine ) who gave a brief introduction of the ACF team members and the distinguished guests.

In his welcome address, the Chief Guest and Vice Chancellor KEMU, Prof Dr. Mahmood Ayyaz, inspired the audience with his signature enthusiasm associated with learning, and his input and his stay throughout the meeting were a vivid testimony to his stance.

Prof Dr. Nighat Mir reminisced with the VC KEMU how they established the specialty of Rheumatology in Pakistan and how her spirit was rooted in witnessing the illness of someone dear.

Prof Dr Sumaira Farman shared her journey of becoming a rheumatologist and left a significant number of physicians inspired to peruse further specialty training.

The first speaker of the day was the impressive Dr Laura Lewandowski , Assistant Clinical Investigator and Head of Lupus Genomics, National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) USA. Her enlightening presentation, “Child with a Limp: considering Rheumatic Disease and Approach to paediatric musculoskeletal exam “ provoked interest in the audience and it was followed by a brief but interesting question-answer session, in which the Vice Chancellor, KEMU himself participated. Dr. Laura’s presentation was certainly an eye-opener as to how subtle the presentation of rheumatic diseases could be in the paediatric population.

The second speaker was Dr Sarfraz Hasni, Director of Lupus Clinical Research and Associate Research Physician NIAMS, USA. Dr. Hasni’s interactive presentation was titled,” Demystifying Systemic Lupus Erythematosus – signs and Symptoms for Early Recognition “. He left the audience with a take-home message in a way that will always resonate with them. He personified Lupus and its differential diagnosis with a horse and a zebra and cautioned the physicians that the mere clatter of hooves didn’t guarantee that a horse ( lupus ) and not a zebra ( differential diagnosis of lupus ) would follow!

The audience which had certainly warmed up with knowledge and inspiration, engaged with the expert panelists in the Q and A session that followed.

Prof Dr Sumaira Farman reiterated the importance of in-depth history-taking and thorough physical examination of patients in general, and rheumatology cases in particular.

Prof Dr Nighat Mir expressed her delight and thoughts on the importance of the academic activity that had taken place.

Valuable input regarding research was added by Prof Saira Afzal (dean of public health and community medicine)and Prof Dr Shahzad Shams ( Head of Neurosurgery).

Prof Dr Shandana Tarique ( head of SMW ) and Prof Dr Adil Iqbal ( head of WMW ) were also present.

The session was concluded by Prof Dr Muhammad Imran ( Chairman Department of Medicine, Dean Faculty of Medicine and Allied specialties, and Head of EMW ) crisp note in which he thanked the ACF team, the eminent speakers, and the faculty for their presence and participation.

The little ceremony for distributing souvenirs amongst the esteemed participants called it a day not just spent, but well spent!