MN Report
Karachi: Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) vice chancellor Prof Masood Hameed has advocated the need for introducing aviation medicine module in MBBS courses at undergraduate level so as to keep abreast of the latest developments in medical sciences.
“There is a dire need to prepare graduate doctors as aviation medicine specialists/flight surgeons so that they can acquire optimum level of professional competence to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” he added.
He was speaking at an orientation session held for the fifth batch of students of Diploma in Aviation Medicine at the university’s Ojha campus. Senior faculty members of DUHS were also present on the occasion.
Highlighting the importance of the discipline of aviation medicine as an emerging field of medical sciences, Prof Hameed underscored the need for providing training to doctors in handling in flight emergencies by ensuring requisite healthcare and safety of passengers during long haul flights.
On this occasion, he announced that DUHS would soon organize an international conference on aviation medicine to highlight the importance of the emerging field.
Giving a brief overview of diploma in aviation medicine, programme director (Aviation/Occupation Medicine) Dr Ghulam Kadir Shaikh said that according to studies conducted by International Airline Travel Association, more than 1.5 billion people travelled all over the globe in year 2013 requiring Aviation Medicine specialist to provide guidelines to airline passengers during in flight emergences on long haul flights.
Aviation medicine is a branch of occupational medicine which deals with the health and well-being of personnel associated with aviation industry and passengers travelling by air, he said, adding that the aim of this diploma course is to prepare doctors as aviation medicine specialist/flight surgeons acquiring optimal level of professional competence to meet the challenges of the 21st century.