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Annual General and Academic Meeting, 24 March 2012, LONDON
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The Second Annual
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The 2nd Ibn Sina Balkhi Seminar & Fund Raising Event, 10 Dec 2011, LONDON
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The Second Ibn-i-Sina Balkhi
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The Ibn Sina Academic Symposium, Oxford, Jun 2011
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By Dr Khesrow Sangarwal
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The Historic Event of 26th Mar 2011
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Association
of Afghan Healthcare
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The First Management Committee Meeting
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Media Office
Press Release 19
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March 25, 2012
Annual General and Academic Meeting, 24 March 2012, LONDON
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The Second Annual
General Meeting 2012-13
By Dr Khesrow Sangarwal
The Association of
Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK (AAHP-UK) held its Annual General Meeting of
2012-13 here in Diamond Hotel, London on Saturday 24th March 2012.
The gathering was
attended by a large number of UK based Afghan Healthcare Professionals and
students. It was the second Annual
General Meeting of the Association since its establishment a year ago.
The general members at
the meeting used the gathering to report, critique, and reflect upon a year
long period of academic, professional,
administrative and charity activities here in the UK and in Afghanistan.
The gathering was
compered jointly by Dr Hamid Shuja, and Dr Khesrow Sangarwal, members of the
expiring Managing Committee. The proceedings were started with versus from the
Holy Qur’an recited by Dr Zaman Ander.
The morning session was
started with academic presentations by two prominent members of the AAHP-UK. Dr
Abdul Wahab Zaheer spoke about the structure of healthcare system in
Afghanistan, and Dr Waheed Mustafa gave an outline of modern clinical
governance.
The academic
presentations were followed by a range of reports and speeches by members of
the retiring Management Committee, reporting on the activities of the AAHP-UK.
Dr Qudrat Ullah, the
treasurer of AAHP-UK, presented the Financial Report for the year 2011-12, a
requirement by the constitution of the AAHP-UK. He gave a detailed description
of all financial transaction carried out by the treasury on behalf of the
AAHP-UK.
Dr Qudrat Ullah also
reported in details on the Khuja Jum Charity Project conducted by the AAHP-UK.
The project entailed an exploratory trip to Afghanistan by an AAHP-UK
delegation, a fund raising event in London, and an event with the Khuja Jum
Clinic officials in Kabul where the aid package was delivered by AAHP-UK
representatives.
Khuja Jum Mother and
Child Clinic is located in Kabul Province of Afghanistan offering essential
healthcare services with very basic facilities. The clinic was selected by
AAHP-UK last year as a recipient of its charity aids.
Dr Amanullah Shams the
ex-chairman of the AAHP-UK presented the Annual Progress Report of the
association. He outlined all the achievements and accomplishments of the
AAHP-UK over the year. He gave a detailed account of all the academic,
professional, and charitable activities organised by the association here in
the UK and in Afghanistan. He thanked and appreciated the contribution of all
members of the association, in particular that of the outgoing Managing
Committee, which he found “an excellent and outstanding team I have ever worked
with.”
Dr Shams used the
opportunity to announce that he will not be standing as a candidate for the
post of chairperson of the AAHP-UK. He observed that this will enhance the
democratic culture of the association.
Dr Wahab Ghani
Vice-Chair of the association for the last working year led an interactive
session with the audience. The purpose was to collect maximum feedback
regarding the past achievements, and future plans of the association. The
session was very successful as invaluable qualitative feedback was collected
from the general members. Dr Ghani stated that all the feedbacks will be passed
to the next Managing Committee in order to maintain the democratic and
transparent conduct of the association.
An award ceremony was
held following the interactive session, where Dr Khalil Wahdati, Dr Wahab
Zaheer, and Dr Abdullah Afzali were granted the AAHP-UK Award of Distinction
for their teaching, and charitable services.
The AGM was adjourned
for lunch and prayer break.
The members returned
for the afternoon session of the AGM at 14:00. The session started with
discussion of the constitution, and the need for amendments. The outgoing
Management Committee proposed that, in order to register the association as a
charity organisation in the UK, the AGM needed to adopt the new constitution
recommended by the Charity Commission. After a session of lengthy discussions,
it was unanimously voted that the next Management Committee should continue
efforts towards registering the AAHP-UK as a charity organisation in the UK.
The new constitution was adopted with a majority vote.
The Annual Election of
the Chair and the Management Committee was held under the supervision of the
election board, which was consisted of three Medical Students. Dr Wahab Ghani
was elected as the new Chairman of the AAHP-UK.
Dr Qudrat Ullah, Dr Aman Shams, Dr Hamish
Darwish, Dr Sher Alokozai, Dr Nasir Habib, Dr Anna Sharif, Dr Ihsan Wardak, Dr
Ajmal Shokoor, Dr Khalil Wahdati, and Dr Khesrow Sangarwal were elected to the
new Management Committee.
After a brief speech by
the newly elected chair, and a photo session, the AGM was closed at 16:30.
An introductory meeting
of the newly elected Management Committee was held after the AGM. The task of
contacting the media to report the AGM was assigned to a few members. It was
decided that further communication will be held on line in order to organise
subsequent Committee Meetings.
The Committee meeting
was closed at 17:00.
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December 16, 2011
The 2nd Ibn Sina Balkhi Seminar & Fund Raising Event, 10 Dec 2011, LONDON
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The Second Ibn-i-Sina Balkhi Conference and Fund Raising Event
By Dr Khesrow Sangarwal
The Event was started in the name of Allah, the merciful, the
compassionate.
The Association of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK (AAHP-UK)
hosted its Second Ibn-i-Sina Balkhi Conference and Fund Raising Event on 10th
December 2011 here in London. Ninety healthcare professionals and Civil Society
members attended the gathering.
The day consisted of an afternoon of speeches and presentations,
followed by a range of informative and entertaining activities. The speeches
delivered by members of AAHP-UK concentrated on healthcare challenges in
Afghanistan, and explored areas where healthcare professionals overseas can aid
the healthcare sector in Afghanistan. The second part of the day aimed at
raising fund and donations for a Mother and Child Clinic in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The opening speech of the afternoon session was delivered by Dr
Wahab Ghani, General Practitioner and Vice-Chair of AAHP-UK. He spoke, briefly,
about the objectives of the event, and what it entailed. He also presented a
short biography of Father of Contemporary Medicine Ibn-i-Sina Balkhi.He then
asked a young Afghan doctor, Waheed Mustafa to compere rest of the proceedings
for the day.
The following speaker was Dr Amanullah Shams, Specialist Registrar
in Gastroenterology, and the Chairman of AAHP-UK. Dr Shams elaborated on the
role of AAHP-UK in delivering voluntary and charity services to aid healthcare
profession in Afghanistan. He recalled the achievements of AAHP in the first
year of its foundation. Dr Shams used his speech to encourage Afghan healthcare
professionals in UK to get involved in the management committee and leadership
of AAHP-UK. He announced that the next Annual General Meeting of the
association will be held on 24th March 2012.
Dr Arzomand, Senior Paediatrician, and member of the Board of
Trustees of AAHP-UK gave an extensive account of how Afghan Healthcare
professionals abroad can assist the services in Afghanistan. He used his past
experience in he area to advise AAHP-UK in devising effective assistance
strategies in Afghanistan.
Dr Qudratullah, Specialist Registrar in Mental Health, and the
Treasurer of AAHP-UK presented a brief report of the engagements of AAHP-UK in
charity activities in Afghanistan in 2011. Dr Qudratullah was a member of
AAHP-UK delegation who visited Afghanistan in September this year. The
delegation was involved in a range of academic as well as fact-finding
activities in Kabul and neighbouring provinces. They identified potential
underachieving areas where AAHP-UK can tangibly assist. Among them was Khuja
Jum Mother and Child Clinic which needed urgent assistance in order to continue
to function purposefully. Dr Qudratullah showed the audience pictures of the
challenging environment in Khuja Jum Clinic where healthcare professionals had
to work with very limited resources. It was announced that all the funds raised
in the event was going to Khuja Jum Mother and Child Clinic.
All the guests were invited for a traditional Afghan dinner before
returning to an evening of Afghan Music, Mili Attan, Art Exhibition, and Award
Ceremony.
The second part of the event was started by a Quiz conducted by Mr
Dost Muhammad, Senior Pharmacist and the Secretary of AAHP-UK. The audiences
were asked 20 questions from a range of topics, and the winner was awarded a
piece of art and a kite made of Afghan National Flag, presented by Mr Dost Muhammad.
The young and talented Afghan musicians Ms Belqees Younisi, Mr Ajmeer
Nikzaad , Mr Suleiman Haqpana, and Mr Safwat Seemab performed classical and traditional Afghan
music which created exultant feelings among the audiences. The great
performance of Mili Attan by the same group of artists added further joy to the
gathering.
An exhibition of paintings by famous Afghan artist Mr Mahmood Popal
was held throughout the day. Mr Popal donated fifty percept of the entire transaction
of the exhibited paintings to Khuja Jum Mother and Child Clinic Fund Raising
Project. A significant number of guests and members of AAHP-UK donated generously
to the project.
The AAHP-UK also granted its annual awards to various individuals
who contributed to its cause. The Ibn-i-Sina Award was offered to Dr Arzomand
for playing a vital role as AAHP-UK advisor, and Ms Maliha Kabir for her
invaluable contribution to the charity activities of AAHP-UK. The AAHP-UK Award
of Distinction was given to Ms Samera Mohammad for designing the original Logo of
AAHP-UK, Dr Waheed Mustafa for activities in Afghanistan, Dr Khesrow Sangerwal
for activities in Afghanistan, and Dr Qudratullah for activities in Afghanistan.
The event ended at 2300. It was revealed in a brief committee
meeting the next day that a munificent amount of money was raised during the event,
which will be passed to the administration of Khuja Jum Clinic, Kabul. Media
Office AAHP-UK
NOTE: Further queries about
the details of Fund Raising Event, and the amount raised can be answered by the
Managing Committee of AAHP-UK on request.
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July 3, 2011
The Ibn Sina Academic Symposium, Oxford, Jun 2011
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By Dr Khesrow Sangarwal
On 19th June 2011, a multi-theme one-day
academic symposium was held in Warneford Hospital, Oxford by the Association of
Afghan Healthcare Professionals- UK. The Ibn-i-Sina Academic Symposium, which
is known to be the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, discussed a range
of academic and educational topics deemed important by the organising team. The
symposium was attended by almost thirty healthcare and other professionals from
all over the country.
The gathering was opened by verses from
the holy Qur’an, recited by Dr Qudratullah. The event was chaired by Dr Abdul
Hameed Latifi, the Education Officer of the AAHP-UK. Dr Latifi told the
audience that the symposium was part of the academic and educational programme
of the AAHP-UK, aimed at assisting healthcare professionals with their
education and training, as well as promoting an up-to-date clinical and
scientific awareness, as foreseen by the constitution of the AAHP-UK.
The opening speech was that of renowned
Afghan scholar Professor Dr M.A Ziar. The professor delivered a comprehensive
lecture on the personal and academic life of the Father of Modern Medicine,
Ibni-Sina Balkhi. He revealed to the audience that Balkhi was the author of 450
pieces of academic work in medicine, Mathematics, Physics, Poetry and etc.
Ibni-Sina Balkhi was born to an Afghan family from Balkh, and was grown up in
the Central Asian city of Bukhara. He has carried out extraordinary scholarly
work and discoveries in medicine, some of which is still influential in
contemporary medical practice. Professor Ziar said that Ibn-i-Sina, known as
Avicenna in the west, for the first time described the anatomy and physiology
of the human larynx, which largely stays accurate, and stands the test of time.
Professor Ziar, himself a linguist, added that Ibn-i-Sina described the
functions of the components of human Voice Box, namely epiglottis and the vocal
cords, and highlighted the contribution of nasal anatomy in evolution and
production of languages.
Following Professor Ziar’s informative
speech, Dr G.S Sakha, a Senior Psychiatrist and member of the Board of Trustees
of the AAHP-UK, shed further light on the life and achievements of Ibn-i-Sina.
In addition to describing Ibn-i-Sina’s contribution to human cardiovascular
system, and Evidence Based Medicine, he also focused on Balkhi’s work in Poetry
and Literature. Dr Sakha also described, in length, Balkhi’s family and social
background, and said that although all world scholars are the shared heritage
of mankind, people of the world deserve to know the fact that this
extraordinary human being was from Afghanistan.
Dr A.W Zaheer, the next speaker, delivered
an edifying presentation on Needs of Medical Trainees in Afghanistan. In
addition to describing ways of standardising medical curriculum and helping
trainees, he also highlighted opportunities for improvement in various aspects
of healthcare provision in Afghanistan. He presented some interesting
statistics and encouraged the audiences to study the needs of healthcare
profession in Afghanistan.
Dr Nadir Shah Waziri, and Dr Mustafa, the
following speakers of the day, spoke about the professional and membership
exams, and national application processes in the United Kingdom, something that
attracted interest from the attending doctors.
After an hour break for lunch and Prayer,
the meeting came back to listen to Dr Arzomand, Senior Paediatrician, who
presented practical proposals to AAHP-UK regarding opportunities to initiate
and sustain charitable projects, both in Afghanistan and UK. Dr Arzomand was
attended to by the addressees when he was speaking about the importance of
staying committed to the task of working for the profession and the country.
Dr Anna Sharif, General Practitioner in
London, told the audience about the routes of getting into GP training in the
UK. She said the GP specialty was a challenging but essential aspect of
healthcare service in this country and beyond. She answered question from the
floor on various aspects of GP training during her appealing speech.
Dr Amanullah Shams, Chair of the AAHP-UK,
conveyed an attention-grabbing presentation on Interview Skills and Job
Application. He talked about various measures of success that one can use for
their career planning and management. Finding all his audience some where along
the training ladder, Dr Shams had useful tips and hints for being successful in
challenging job interviews and application processes in the medical careers,
which is now happening increasingly frequently.
Dr Khesrow Sangarwal spoke about the
ethical challenges facing the healthcare profession in Afghanistan. Describing
the foundations of Bioethics, and its implication for modern medical practice,
he insisted on the need for creating and propagating academic literature on
medical ethics in Afghanistan. He observed that the existing work in medical
ethics in Afghanistan is of trifling proportion.
Mr Dost Muhammad, a senior Pharmacist from
Birmingham gave a multi-media presentation on topical treatment of eczema in
children and adults. With screening the patient experience and account of the
condition, Mr Muhammad insisted on optimum and correct pharmacotherapy of
atopic and other types of eczema.
The final part of the symposium was a
discussion and feedback session chaired by Dr Wahab Ghani, General Practitioner
in London. Practical proposals and suggestions were received from the audience,
and recorded for further analysis by the managing committee of the AAHP-UK.
The symposium was closed at 17:00.
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May 1, 2011
The First Management Committee Meeting
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Media Office
Press Release 19th April
2011
Contact:
aahp.media@gmail.com
The First Committee
Meeting of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK, London
By Dr Khesrow Sangarwal
The Constitution of the Association of Afghan Healthcare
Professionals-UK requires the management committee to hold at least three
meetings annually in order to carry out the business of the association. The
first committee meeting of the 2011-12 working year was held at the Holiday Inn
Hotel, Brent Cross, London on 10th April 2011. The meeting was attended by six committee members.
The first task on hands was the assignments of portfolios
to each committee member. The portfolios were assigned according to each
member’s interest and experience, as follows:
Treasury: Dr Qudratullah
Recruitment and Liaison: Dr Anna Sharif
Secretary: Mr Dost Muhammad
Education: Dr Abdul Hameed Latifi
Vice Chairperson: Dr Abdulwahab Ghani
Media: Dr Khesrow Sangarwal
Afghan and International Affairs: Dr Hameed Shuja
Research, Translation and Publication: Dr Homayun
Shahpesandy
Chairperson: Dr Amanullah Shams
The committee drew a three-month working plan for each of
the above offices. The working plan included the following tasks: Opening a
bank account, constructing a website, holding an academic conference,
publishing regular newsletters and media reports, identifying working
opportunities in Afghanistan and around the globe, coordinating the existing
research and translation activities, and constructing a membership pack.
The committee decided that it will work on voluntary
basis, and will not claim any funds from treasury including any travel and
residential expenses for the current working year. The committee also delegated
a subcommittee of four members consisting Dr Amanullah Shams, Dr Abdul Hameed
Latifi, Mr Dost Muhammad, and Dr Abdulwahab Ghani to organise a meeting with
the Afghan Medical Association AMA.
The Committee meeting was closed at 1500. The next
committee meeting will be held on 18th June 2011
End
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May 1, 2011
The Historic Event of 26th Mar 2011
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Association
of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK
Media Office
Press Release 19th April
2011
Contact:
aahp.media@gmail.com
Afghan Healthcare Professionals Get-together, 26th March
2011, LONDON
By Dr
Khesrow Sangarwal
On 26th March 2011, a
large number of Afghan Healthcare Professionals got together in Osterley Park Hotel, London, and laid the foundation of
the Association of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK. The meeting was attended
by over fifty healthcare professionals from all range of specialist professions
including Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing, Radiography, Physiotherapy and
Medicine.
The meeting was opened with verses from the holy Qur’an
recited by Dr Wahdati.
The day consisted of a morning of speeches and presentations
by various attending speakers, and an afternoon of law making, administrative
work and election. At the beginning of the morning session, the Code of Conduct
for the meeting was outlined by Mr Dost Muhammad and a young and bright Afghan
girl Ms Summaya. The meeting was chaired by Dr Abdulwahab Ghani and Dr Khesrow
Sangarwal.
The opening speaker was Dr Amanullah Shams, one of
the main organisers of the 26th March get-together. In his ten minutes long
presentation, Dr Shams spoke about the need for having an organised association
of Afghan professionals who work in healthcare sector in the United Kingdom. He
explored the potential avenues where Afghan doctors and other healthcare
professionals can cooperate and make a difference to their career, and the
wider world.
The following speakers were Ms Tamanna Rahimi and Ms
Zohal, the prospective doctors who spoke about medical career in the UK. Many
found the presentation very useful as a good source of information for Afghan
parents and Sixth Form students.
The gathering was also addressed by DR Sakha, a senior
Afghan Psychiatrist who advised the Afghan healthcare professionals on the need
for unity, and service for their profession and the country. Dr Sakha added:
“Afghan doctors should learn from the missed opportunities, and start working
for their noble intentions.” Dr Qudratullah, the next speaker described the
challenges posed to Afghan doctors from graduation to registration, and the
ways to tackle the obstacles in the rout to successful registration in the
United Kingdom.
Dr Khalil Wahdati, and Mr Asif Roudwal were the other
speakers in the meeting who spoke about postgraduate medical education, and
disability in Afghanistan respectively. The closing speech of the morning
session was that of Dr Abdul Hameed Latifi who intended to talk about the
medical challenges in Afghanistan. The speech took an emotional turn when Dr
Latifi started to describe the exceptionally high mortality rates in
Afghanistan. Dr Latifi could not resist the high emotions associated with the
tragic figures, and could not finish his presentation, which was completed by
Dr Shams.
All the attending professionals discussed the need for
establishing an effective and transparent association, which will not only
coordinate and enhance clinical and academic cooperation among Afghan
healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom, it will explore and work in
potential underachieving clinical and academic areas in Afghanistan. These
discussions took place in formal and informal manner through out the morning
session. The consensus was to go ahead with the establishment of such an
organisation that can reflect the decent intentions of all Afghan healthcare
professionals in the UK.
The afternoon session started with an hour of lunch break
and an opportunity of new Lemariz year (Nawrooz) greetings. The participants
had to work hard due to shortage of time, and discuss the prospective
constitution of the potential association. The participants had to work against
the clock, and critique, amend and analyse the constitution, and approve it
with a two third majority. Among the approved articles of the constitution was
the name of the association, the Association of Afghan Healthcare
Professional-UK.
The approved constitution foresees, among other aspects,
the structure, finance, administration, and election proceedings of the
Organisation.
Following a lengthy discussion and approval of the
constitution of the Association of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK, the rest
of the meeting was governed by the articles of the constitution. The
constitution required the election of a chairperson, and the managing
committee. An independent board of election that consisted of Dr Sakha, Dr
Rahim, the medical students Tamana and Zohal volunteered to oversee the proceedings
of the election.
The candidates standing for the post of the chairperson
were Dr Homayun Shahpesandy, Consultant Psychiatrist, and DR Amanullah Shams,
Specialist Registrar in Gastroenterology. The candidates gave a five minutes
speech to the general members in order to win their votes. The votes were
counted by the Election Board, and Dr Amanullah Shams was announced as the
winner of the contest for the post of the chairperson.
The electing session was completed with the election
of the managing committee. The elected committee consisted of Dr Qudratullah,
Dr Anna Sharif, Dr Homayun Shahpesandy, Dr Hameed Shuja, Dr Abdul Hameed
Latifi, Mr Dost Muhammad, Dr Abdulwahab Ghani and Dr Khesrow
Sangarwal.
A significant part of the afternoon session was
dominated by a heated discussion regarding the importance of unity among the
Afghan healthcare professionals in the country. Numerous participants of the
meeting, who attended the afternoon session as individuals, challenged the
creation of a new association. They described the achievements of other medical
groups, and argued against the need for establishment of a new association.
While most of the participants of the meeting appreciated the achievements of
individuals and groups in serving the healthcare professionals in the United
Kingdom, they unanimously voted for the establishment of the Association of
Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK. The elected committee vowed to take
necessary steps towards the unity of Afghan healthcare professionals in the United
Kingdom.
The gathering was closed at 18:30 with the wish of success
for the Association of Afghan Healthcare Professionals-UK.
End
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