AFMI delegation visits JPMC

KARACHI: A 32-member delegation from the Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute (AFPGMI) of Rawalpindi visited Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC). 

The team was introduced to the CyberKnife and Tomotherapy technology installed in the Radiation Oncology Department, JPMC.  

Prof Shahid Rasul, Executive Director, JPMC and Acting Vice-Chancellor, Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), stated, ''This is a recent invention and first of its kind in a public-sector hospital in the country that facilitates free treatment of patients from across the world, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, nationality. The objective of this institution is to preserve the name of the Father of the Nation, and I'm grateful for the contribution from the Government of Sindh and civil society for upgrading the tertiary healthcare system of JPMC.''

The delegation was headed by Major General Zaheer Akhtar, Commandant AFPGMI, Brigadier Muhammad Zaman, Semester DS, Colonel Saadullah Abbasi, OIC training, Lieutenant Colonel Irfan, G1 training, along with 27 Postgraduate students of MSc Healthcare and Administration, AFPGMI. 

Major General Zaheer Akhtar thanked Prof Shahid Rasul and Prof Tariq Mahmood for sparing time and reciprocated the gesture by presenting a memento. 

Prof Tariq Mahmood briefed ''JPMC introduced its first unit of CyberKnife in 2012. The second unit was installed in 2018, which causes minimal tissue destruction compared to other Radiation treatments available in Pakistan's top healthcare system.''

Prof Tariq Mahmood spotlighted that CyberKnife was a premium robotic radiosurgery structure that treats malignant tumours and offers a curative treatment with minimal side effects. Its robotic arm diagnoses the patient for precision and reduces the risk of collateral damage, and because of the precision, it does not lead to any morbidity or mortality. 

Prof Tariq Mahmood highlighted ''Patients from 163 cities in Pakistan and 15 countries have received treatment from CyberKnife, which removes residual mass through radiation. Our aim for 2022 is to install another unit that simultaneously treats around 24-30 patients.''

While answering a question from a guest, Prof Tariq said that a very stringent criterion is applied for the selection of patients since JPMC invests around thousand to two thousand dollars on a single patient and ensures 99 per cent cure.  

Towards the end of the visit, Prof Tariq briefed the delegation on other facilities and operations of JPMC and presented mementoes to the delegation, and extended thanks for their visit to JPMC.