Situated in the southern city of Jamshoro, LUMHS predominantly serves a vast rural population of Sindh with an expansive catchment area, drawing patients from up to 200 miles away.
The Department of Urology at LUMHS comprises an emerging team of 8 consultants led by Dr. Javaid Altaf and Dr. Zakir Rajpar, who both currently lead the department. Renowned for its training programs, the department currently hosts 12 residents enrolled in both FCPS and MS urology programs. This energetic team of Urologists showcased their potential during their instrumental role in organizing the national Urology meeting of the Pakistan Association of Urological Surgeons UROCON in 2019.
Dr. Javaid Altaf, having attended the prestigious intensive laparoscopy course in Strasbourg, began initiating laparoscopy at LUMHS.
1st Urology Laparoscopic Masterclass
28th October 2021
This workshop evoked deep emotions and nostalgia, particularly for me (ZA), due to the population it serves. Visiting the hospital brought back memories of our training years at Civil Hospital Karachi, including experiences at SIUT, under the mentorship of legends like Prof Adeeb Rizvi and Dr. Bari Khan. It reminded us of our involvement in student-run medical NGOs such as Patients’ Welfare Association, where we closely interacted with the rural population of Pakistan seeking basic healthcare services.
This workshop was organized in collaboration with Aga Khan University Hospital, marking a significant moment of institutional cooperation within Sindh province. The participation of young AKUH faculty members was remarkable. Due to ongoing fellowship exams at LUMHS, our visit was limited to one day, omitting lectures and simulations and focusing on two procedures.
The first procedure involved a Right-sided Anderson-Hynes Dismembered Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty on a 20-year-old male university student with symptomatic PUJO. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID phase, the procedure was successfully performed, albeit taking longer than usual. The decision to cancel the planned laparoscopic nephrectomy was wisely made by the hosts.
Our colleague Kashif Soomro provided updates post-surgery, indicating the patient’s satisfactory recovery. Given the patient’s remote location, it was sensible to send him home with a catheter to minimize the risk of complications. However, the reality of healthcare access in rural areas became apparent when we learned that the patient had to travel to another district for catheter removal.
Although brief, the workshop served as a preview of future collaborations with the host institute. We eagerly anticipate larger-scale workshops in the future.
2nd Laparoscopic Urology Masterclass and Live Surgery
27-28th November 23
Over the past two years, the dynamic team at LUMHS has made significant strides in establishing laparoscopic services, performing nearly 100 laparoscopic procedures. Their achievements were showcased at UROCON 2023 in Karachi. Dr. Javaid Altaf spearheaded the laparoscopic services, with support from several colleagues.
A second workshop was planned to further facilitate laparoscopic services, with full support from LUMHS Vice Chancellor Professor Ikram Din Ujjan and Dean Faculty of Surgery Professor Ashok Narsani. The workshop featured lectures, simulation sessions, and live laparoscopic nephrectomies aimed at sharing new techniques with the host team.
We aim to sustain this collaboration and organize similar workshops in LUMHS and other hospitals across interior Sindh province in the coming years.
