APPNA, Adeeb
Rizvi and SIUT
By Dr Syed Ehtisham
Bath, NY
Adeeb Rizvi has unarguably
done more for health care for the poor and advancement
of urology and transplantation in Pakistan than
any other individual. In fact, the only comparison
that could be made with him would be that of Abdus
Sattar Edhi who has done so much in the field
of charity.
I have been fortunate in knowing Adeeb when he
was a medical student.
He is the most focused person I have come across
in life. I have noted elsewhere how I found him
sleeping one evening on the stairs leading to
an operation theatre(Operating Room in the USA)
in the Civil Hospital (CHK) in Karachi. Concerned,
I woke him up. He was exhausted and had sat down
"for a minute" when sleep overcame him.
He had been a notable student activist in an earlier
phase of his life and exhibited the same level
of dedication to the cause. He returned to Pakistan
after surgical training in the UK and his ward
in CHK rivaled the orthopedic ward of Professor
Rahim’s period which was known for cleanliness,
astute organization, promptness of care and provision
of medicines. But there was a difference. Adeeb
was invariably polite and courteous and these
qualities the most ardent admirers of Prof Rahim
could not attribute to him.
Adeeb went on to establish the Sindh Institute
of Urology and Transplantation largely with his
personal effort and dedication.
Adeeb could have amassed wealth but he decided
to live a life of modest comfort. I recall he
lived in an unostentatious home in North Nazimabad
when lesser specialists had built virtual palaces
in KDA 1 and Clifton-Defense, the luxuriously
posh localities in Karachi.
Expatriates have by and large done well in the
USA and Europe and profess great love for the
former homeland. They have considerable service
in launching schools for the poor, some health
care facilities and admirable work for the earthquake
victims last year.
But the work has been episodic and much more is
spent on vacations, variety shows, gala events
and annual meetings.
I would make special mention of doctors (medical)
in the USA. The total worth of APPNA (Association
of Pakistani Physicians of (Pakistani origin)
North America members is conservatively estimated
at 2 billion dollars and it has only about two
thousand members out of a total of ten thousand.
The current APPNA president who was some thing
of an activist in his student life in Karachi
was recently asked to raise funds for SIUT. He
offered to hold a meeting to honor Adeeb! Honors
for senior members whom few know is relevant.
Adeeb does not need an award from APPNA. He is
internationally acclaimed.
What APPNA and other groups of expatriates have
to do is to organize fundraising events and launch
Internet campaigns for an institution which offers
world class care for complicated problems - free
of charge.
Please lobby your organizations to put in maximum
effort to support SIUT.
SIUT North America Inc is a Tax exempt 501c3 non-profit
organization Tel 713 446 0379, fax 281 550 6042,e-mail
sayeed_36@hotmail.com office at 7415 Starbridge
Drive, Houston TX 77095.
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