Shershah Syed (born 1953) is a Pakistani physician and surgeon, known for his work in obstetrics and maternal health.[2][3][4] He was involved in providing emergency medical assistance to victims of the 2010 Pakistan floods.[5] He was the president of the Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Pakistan from 2007 to 2010,[6] He is the current president of the International Society of Fistula Surgeons (ISOFS) and also the Pakistan National Forum on Women's Health (PNFWH).[7]
Shershah Syed | |
|---|---|
| Born | Shershah Syed 1953 (age 70–71) |
| Education | FRCOG, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London Diploma Emergency Obstetrical Care, Uppsala University, Sweden [1] |
| Occupation(s) | Obstetrician and Gynaecologist |
| Spouse | Tayyaba Fatema (Paediatrician) |
| Website | Dow 79 Personalities web page |
Career
editAfter MBBS from Dow Medical College, he moved to the UK and trained and worked in Ireland to become an obstetrician and gynecologist.[8] He attained an MRCOG before returning to Pakistan where he started working for the Government of Sindh and was posted as assistant professor at Dow Medical College.[8]
He subsequently joined Sobhraj Maternity Hospital as MS. After a short stint at the Nawabshah Medical College, he joined the Qatar Hospital in Orangi Town.[9]
Shershah has worked for the Pakistan Medical Association, Pakistan Medical Dental Council, Society of Obstetrician and Gynecologists Pakistan (SOGP), Amnesty International, and the International Society of Fistula Surgeons (ISOFS).[10]
In 2012, his book, Vision: Not Just a Dream, was reviewed by DAWN.[11] Two years later, in 2014, a biography about him was published in Sindhi language.[12]
Fellowship and awards
editRCOG traveling award to work at FISTULA Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 1994
RCOG Menopause Award 1996 to attend a meeting in London and to work with Dr. John Studd's menopause clinic[13]
Clinton Global Initiative guest invited by President Clinton in New York in November 2009 [14][15]
FIGO (Federation of Obstetrica Gynaecologica) Distinguish Community Obstetrician award received in 2003 at Santiago Chile.[16]
Pride of Karachi Award by K-Electric in 2014[17]
Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award 2012 for the treatment of genital tract fistula and rehabilitation of fistula victims[18]
Nomination among 100 most inspiring individuals delivering for girls and women by Women Deliver in 2011[19]
Humanitarian / Philanthropic Activities
editAfter receiving training in the treatment of infertility, on his return to Pakistan he was overwhelmed seeing the plight of women in the country. For the first time in his practice he encountered pregnant women dying in great numbers due to avoidable causes and noticed that more than six hundred thousand women were having complications because of pregnancy, like Fistula. This depressed him changed his entire concept of practice and he lost interest in infertility and started working to prevent maternal death and suffering of women. He also realized that young girls were also suffering badly and they were forcefully married when they are merely children. Girls were being murdered by their family members on the name of honor killing. He started working against violence against women with UNICEF and UNFPA.
Realizing that the maternal death rate cannot be decreased without providing care to pregnant women and that will be only possible by training of midwives, with the help of UNICEF he established a number of new schools of midwifery in different parts of country.
Creating a Great Resource for Midwifery
editRealizing that no books on midwifery were available in the vernacular which seriously hampered teaching, in collaboration with a group of Journalists in Karachi Dr. Shershah started translating midwifery books in to Urdu and Sindhi. In record time 13 different books, averaging over 400 pages each on midwifery and nursing were translated from English to Urdu and Sindhi which was a great achievement, thus creating a great resource available for teaching in the local languages. A task of this dimension is usually achieved through Government support; however this was conducted by merely a handful of friends and family. Results are already showing that these large number of trained midwives will play a vital role in the prevention of maternal morbidity, mortality and prevention of fistula.
Bibliography
editHe has regularly writing in the DAWN the largest circulating English newspaper on issues related to medical education and the health care system in Pakistan.
While at Dow Medical College he published two novels:
- Chimniyan Jall Uth Gaen
- Laho Laho Zabanain
He has also authored and published a collection of four books :-
- ILMO AGAHIE KA SAFAR
- AGAHIE KAI CHIRAGH
- AGAHIE KAI NISHAN
- AMRAZ SAE AGAHIE OR HISPATALON KI TAREKH
Medical Publications
edit- Gynecological Oncology, Sadiqa Jaffery, Shershah Syed
- Textbook for Midwifery (Urdu)
- Emergency Obstetrical Care for Midwives (Urdu)
- Emergency Obstetrical Care for Family Physicians
- Where Women has no Doctor (Urdu)
- Easy Midwifery (Urdu) translation of Hesperian foundation publication.
- How to teach nursing (Urdu). A book for nursing tutors.
- Teaching Midwifery (Urdu). A book for midwifery tutors.
- Teaching paramedics and O.T. Technicians (Urdu).
- A health hand book for women with disability (Urdu). Hesperian foundation Publication.
- Where there is no doctor (Urdu). Hesperian foundation publication.
Radio
editHe does a weekly radio program on FM105 called IMO AGAHIE KA SAFAR every Sunday to create awareness in fields like science, literature history and philosophy.
References
edit- ^ "Notable Alumni". Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ Shah, Nighat (May 7, 2020). "Stories from the frontlines: 'We cannot lockdown hospital wards. Progressive planning is the way to go'". DAWN.COM.
- ^ Kristof, Nicholas (July 18, 2009). "His Maternal Instinct". The New York Times. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
At 56, he is one of his country's best-known doctors and is president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Pakistan.
- ^ "Fistula Awareness Day: Spouses of envoys unite to raise funds, awareness". tribune.com.pk. The Express Tribune. March 22, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
The idea was generated in the minds of the ladies after they heard about the work of Dr Shershah Syed, president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan, who has made significant contributions to raising the level of maternal health care in Pakistan.
- ^ Corbin, Jane (December 12, 2010). "The doctor on a mission in flood-hit Pakistan". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
But people are willing to give to concerned individuals like Doctor Shershah, who through the Pakistan Medical Association is co-ordinating distribution of food and medicine in flood hit areas.
- ^ "Brief History". www.sogp.org. The Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Pakistan (SOGP). Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ "About Us". www.pnfwh.org. Pakistan National Forum on Women's Health. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- ^ a b InpaperMagazine, From (January 29, 2011). "Training the trainers of health care professionals". DAWN.COM.
- ^ "KARACHI: Doctors` attitudes responsible for unsafe abortions". DAWN.COM. March 24, 2009.
- ^ "Civil award list: a worthy name missing". DAWN.COM. April 5, 2010.
- ^ Authors, Dawn Books And (October 7, 2012). "REVIEW: Vision: Not Just a Dream by Shershah Syed". DAWN.COM.
- ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (November 21, 2014). "Sindhi version of Dr Shershah's biography launched". DAWN.COM.
- ^ "Education and Research Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Clinton Global Initiative". Clinton Foundation. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Dr. Shershah Syed Clinton Global Inititive [sic] – PNFWH". Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Homepage | Figo". www.figo.org. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "K-Electric holds the Pride of Karachi Awards at Mohatta Palace | K-Electric". Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Dr. Shershad Syed - Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences - HMA". www.hmaward.org.ae. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "An Unwavering Advocate for Girls and Women". Women Deliver. Retrieved October 24, 2020.