Dear Colleagues!

         On the 5th 0f June 2010 the new governing body of the SOGP for 2010---2013 took the oath (except that there is no oath taking actually) Unfortunately Dr.Shershah could not make it due to a personal problem and the Representatives from Punjab were kept away by the threat of a hurricane that never came.

I am extremely grateful to those who organized the program and to those who attended. I am also very grateful to Dr. Nighat Shah the current general secretary, (ex-treasurer) and the ex Secretary Dr.Ayesha Nasir (who is now an executive member) to Dr. Razia Korejo and Rukhsana who actually met me in Karachi in May of this year and filled me in on some of the finer details.

There are 2 people I want to thank for playing an instrumental role in my being here today. Prof. Zakia Minhas, my mentor, my teacher, my friend .Someone who continues to be an inspiration even now. I thank her for introducing me to the SOGP back in the early 80s when she was the president. Then a decade later Professor Shafiq became the president .I thank him for forcing me to become a life member .I recall asking him “ so what’s in it for me” and him saying’ who knows may be you become the president one day”… and so here I am .

As a Nation we are petrified of change . So at the outset I would like to assure all those involved in the various collaborative efforts in the SOGP, that we will ensure continuity .We will develop  our relations further with all stake holders working towards improvement in all aspects of the health and development of women in Pakistan and I intend to be very active personally in this area.

Today, however, at the risk of becoming immediately unpopular I would like to address certain core issues pertaining to the society it self. I seriously think we need to get our house in order. 

Karachi as you know is the home of the SOGP and so it should be since most of the members are from Karachi .The SOGP is the oldest professional body in the country and yet we continue to operate from a single room in a local hospital. I say this not to cast aspersions. We are very grateful to JPMC for keeping the society intact and for housing it for so many years. We must make an earnest effort, however ,to have an SOGP house in Karachi as envisaged by our founding members complete with an auditorium, library and residential suite to house our out station guests.

Any organization is as good as its members are. we intend to address the apathy and genuine grievances of our current members. Simultaneously we will make a concerted effort to increase  the numbers of our members. This will be a priority and as we meet we will find and develop strategies to develop our strength and make the SOGP a truly national representative Body of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The governing body cannot achieve anything without the full participation of the members .we have announced today the setting up of various committees to which I hope that you the members will volunteer. so that you have a stake in the society. for me every member counts.
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Our specialty is suffering at both ends of the spectrum. We are still embroiled by the unacceptably high maternal mortality and morbidity, which is a national scandal but we are not doing much better at the other end of the spectrum either. Ours is the only major specialty that has not established its sub-specialties in a meaningful way. We must facilitate the training of our young specialists towards the subspecialties by establishing links nationally and internationally with relevant organizations.

Apart from this, we will establish an academic faculty of the SOGP to work closely with members from the relevant organizations such as the faculty of OB/GYN at CPSP, the RCOG etc, to develop consensus guidelines for our post graduates. This will reduce the confusion in clinical management issues felt by our trainees who study western texts and desperately try to adapt individually to our unique environment i.e. “our set up”. 

It is mandated in the constitution of the SOGP that the society will have a Journal. We have discussed this in the first executive meeting and in this same issue of news and views you are invited to volunteer your expertise to make this possible.

Finally an area that is close to all of our collective hearts is the plight of women in Disaster/conflict situations. Pakistan has been badly hit by both natural and manmade disasters in recent years. From the earthquake in AJK & KPP to the on going tragedy in our tribal areas where locals are stuck between the onslaught of the American drones, the Pakistan army and the Taliban .Women are the worst victims. Individually many of us have reached out and done our bit. But the impact would be better and more effective if we respond from the platform of the society. To that end we decided in our very first meeting that the vice presidents in each province should form a rapid response cell, so that in any crises anywhere in the country where we are needed for the protection of women’s health we can take a leading role in the undertaking of the initial response.

 This then is my wish List. I am aware that I cannot do any of this on my own . I know however that we can do it if we pool our resources. After all we are a group of over achievers, we are influential and we know influential people. and if we put our mind to it we can achieve our goals. All this will not be finished in the first few months. Nor will it be finished in the first one year, perhaps not even in the life of this governing body. But let us begin.

 For me this is a personal crusade, for me it is a debt I owe to the countless women who I have had the privilege to share my life with. For me it is pay back time .

Goodbye for now.
Remember me in your prayers,
And God bless,

Lubna Hassan
President SOGP
presidentsogp@gmail.com