Pakistanis help other Pakistanis, says Dr Jawad

I felt that being part of ‘Saving Face’ about acid victims would be a great way to show how Pakistanis can help other Pakistanis overcome their problems,” said Dr Muhammad Jawad, a Dow graduate of the 1984 batch and the plastic surgeon behind repairing faces of acid victims that eventually led to completion of Pakistan’s first Oscar Award winning documentary.
Dr Jawad was talking to the students and the faculty members of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) who had gathered at the Arag Auditorium on Thursday to pay tribute to the Dow alumnus for bringing laurels to the country.
The extremely humble graduate said that the plight of the women subjected to a barbarian aspect of the human nature that compels the perpetrator to deface and condemn their victims for life is not “Pakistan-specific”, but quite characteristic of many other nations of the world, be it India or Korea or any other country.
Dr Jawad said that as healthcare providers, it is the joint responsibility of the entire medical community to help out those in need of their medical expertise, without any discrimination and distinction.
Reminiscing his medical college days, the graduate said that despite all differences and, above all, significant limitations in terms of material, there existed a spirit even among the students at the Dow Medical College (DMC) during 1976-1984 to help out the patients in need.
“This was the spirit that led to the formation of the Patients Welfare Association for the resource-less arriving at the Civil Hospital Karachi by the DMC students under the leadership of Dr Abdul Bari Khan, Hanif and others,” he said.
“In pursuance of this very will to serve humanity, the Indus Hospital was established by doctors, led again by Dr Khan for people with little resources, and I, as a former class fellow and a plastic surgeon, was asked to come forward for those in need,” he said.
Referring to his role in completion of the documentary, he said that it was meant to highlight the plight, as well as to help all the acid victims and those who could be next in line, through a strong will and to protect them at every level against the practice.
He said that the victims, be they of any gender or from any part of the world, need a multi-level assistance that includes medical intervention (restructuring), psychological as well as emotional support and meaningful rehabilitation.
He urged the doctors not to think in terms of material gains, but to understand why they might have been destined to be bestowed upon a critical responsibility, that is serving humanity.
Dr Jawad said that there is no dearth of resources, talent or spirit in the country; however, there is the need for proper environment so what little actually exists could adequately flourish.
DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Masood Hameed Khan appreciated the efforts of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and her team member Dr Jawad for bringing into the light an issue that demands attention at every level.
He said that there is no reason to be depressed as Allah has blessed the country with a lot of resources that must be properly utilised.
Dr Khan announced that Dr Jawad has joined the DUHS as a visiting faculty member and that a tutorial lecture room at the DMC is also being named after him.
Dr Jawad was presented a gold medal by Dr Khan as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award by DMC Principal Prof Dr Junaid Ashraf.
Earlier, Dr Ashraf also shared his views and regretted that Obaid-Chinoy could not attend the ceremony to receive her award at the DUHS due to her departure to the US for certain unavoidable engagements.