Highlights of 1st International Virtual Summit on Medical Sociology and Public Health
RAWALPINDI: The Department of Sociology at Fatima Jinnah Women University has organized 1st International Health Virtual Summit on Medical Sociology and Public Health in collaboration with Huston-Tillitson University USA, partnership by Sustainable social Development Organization (SSDO), The FEEEL and DiriTalnets.
The opening ceremony was held at Fatima Jinnah Women University on Dec 02, 2021 while the closing ceremony was virtual on Dec 04, 2021. Three days virtual summit ascertaining the sociological interrelations between health, illness and medicine aims to bring together leading medical sociologists, sociologists, social workers, policy makers, healthcare professionals, social science researchers, and academicians, to exchange and share their experiences and research results about all aspects of medical sociology and public health keeping in mind the current pandemic of COVID-19 and healthcare practices in the new normal.
It was joined by International keynote speakes; Dr. James Blanchard (Canada), Dr. Mehr Manzoor (LA), Dr. Naveed Sayed (UK), Dr. Faisal Rashid Khan (UK), Dr. Amanda Masino (USA), Miriam Boeri (Spain), Dr. Parveen Ali (UK), Dr. Khalid Mahmmod (UK), Dr. Rais A. Nawaz (Japan), Dr. Razia Bhatti Ali (UK), Prof, Dr. Michael Hirsh (USA), Shaharior Rehman Razu(Bang), Rosalee Martin(USA), Jayanta Karishna Sarmah (India), Dr, NurAzura Mohammad Diah (Malaysia), Dr. Nurjannah Nurjannah (Indonesia).
Among national guests and speakers, Maj Gen Aamer Ikram (Director, NIH), Dr. Muhmmad Amjad Khan (NIH) , Prof, Dr. I.N.Hassan (Shifa Hospital), Prof, Dr. Naimatuallh Hashmi (UAAR), Prof, Dr. Muhammad Javad Asad (UAAR), Dr. Rabia Gul (IIUI), Prof, Dr Zainab F, Zadah, Dr. Faisal Rashid Khan (ISRA), Dr. Bushra Yasmeen (FJWU), Dr. Aneela Maqsood (FJWU), Dr. Kamran Ishfaq (BZU), Dr, farah Sabih (WHO), Dr Saeed Ahmed (CDC), Prof, Dr. Anwar-ul Hassan Gilani (Haripur), Dr. Tayyaba Zainab (UAAR), Dr. Muhammad Asif (Bhawalpur). Dr. Iram Gul (FJWU) etc.
Dr. Saima Hamid, worthy vice-chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Women University in her address said with cream of the cream of national & international speakers from all around the world, it is the privilege of Fatima Jinnah Women University to host this conference in the admit of a pandemic. In this pandemic, we have achieved a huge milestone even the academia has contributed a lot to it. In a matter of fact, 500 vaccines that have been disposed of by university in the past four months needs to be noted as well, we transitioned into online teaching, though people thought it wouldn't be possible we made it possible through collective efforts. This pandemic despite all the chaos has bought many opportunities for us to move forward & use modern technology effectively. She hopes that many issues will be discussed & various policies, directions & research priorities will emerge as a result of this three-day virtual summit.
Dr. Adeela Rehman as Convener of the summit elaborated the aim of the summit to highlight the between Medical Sociology and Public Health in effective evidence based education programs and health promotion practices. She mentioned that during 3-days summit, 4 Plenary Session and 10 Parallel scientific session were conducted in which 66 papers were presented from across the world on various aspects of Medical Sociology and Public Health. (66 papers). Moreover, 25 international speakers from 10 countries including USA, UK, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, South Africa, France, Spain, Canada, and Bangladesh have presented in different sessions as key note speakers. More than 600 participants had attend the conference including national and international students, professionals, academician, researchers and policy makers. As a policy recommendations derived from the summit, she mentioned affordable, efficient and equitable Integrating system of healthcare is required to be highlighted in health policy. Furthermore, she emphasized that an interdisciplinary public health discipline is also the need of a time to be established in leading higher education institution to promote public health perspectives as well as to produce more public health professionals. Interdisciplinary research studies should be conducted to explore and promote the holistic perspective of health and illness.
The 3-days summit was successfully ended with the vote of thanks by Ms. Hina Arooj to all the partner organizations, participants, students and faculty members who took part in organizing the event.