PSSLD

President’s Message

I am humbled and honored to assume the role of President of the Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver Diseases (PSSLD). I am deeply grateful to my predecessors for their contributions and leadership. I hope that our mission and efforts will continue to gather momentum in the coming years, so that we remain a leading force in the education, research, ethics, and practice of hepatology, In Sha Allah.

We face a monumental challenge to eliminate endemic hepatitis by the year 2030, the aspirational deadline set by the World Health Organization (WHO). To allow this tangible goal to materialize, we need to make a nationwide, coordinated effort by joining hands with the government and civil society.

The PSSLD has played a key role in the effort to achieve this goal. In addition to observing World Hepatitis Day in different cities of Pakistan, we organized multiple symposia and seminars related to liver disease. Our members were involved in community work to screen and treat hepatitis and prepared proposals to implement the National Hepatitis Control Program. With the Teach Hepatitis Program, which links centers across the country via video conferencing, we imparted up-to-date knowledge to physicians about the management of liver diseases.

Another highlight in 2019 was the organization of a Single Topic Conference (STC) for the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL). The conference was held in December in Islamabad and focused on regional needs. Experts from across the Asia Pacific region deliberated on efforts to combat and eliminate hepatitis. The rising trend of nonalcoholic liver disease and liver cancer are the next challenges facing our hepatology fraternity.

Our multifaceted efforts have a singular aim – to fight liver disease in Pakistan. I look forward to your participation in PSSLD-sponsored activities and initiatives.

President's Message

It is a great honor and privilege for me to have taken over the appointment of President PSSLD. This is because of all of you, reposing confidence in me for taking care of the organization for next 02 yrs.

It is indeed a great responsibility, a daunting task to fill in the shoes of outstanding individuals like Prof Syed Mohammad Waseem Jafri, Prof Saeed Sadiq Hamid, Prof Masood Siddiq and Prof Zaigham Abbas. They have not only taken this society to maturity, but developed its reputation and core academic values which are appreciated by all.

The Society has a sound International standing because of stalwarts I mentioned above. The steering committee comprising of them is still very much involved with society, guides the growth of the organization and is highly valued by all of us.

The Society in my vision should adapt to the changing times and we need to leverage our advantage to expand, become relevant to our members and other professionals in a significant way. We are planning to be more inclusive; develop more services for our members; become digitally savvier; improve our presence on digital media in an impactful manner; improve liaisons internationally and nationally; and encourage research and serve as an advocacy forum for our patients and professionals alike.

When I say we it means all of you and us working through the executive council and steering committee. We want to improve human networking and inclusiveness by making connections with other societies in other fields and paramedical societies.

Please help us in these endeavors and provide us with your suggestions and critique, it is our society and improving it and strengthening it is in our best interest.

I hope to work towards these goals with everybody’s help and I request for your involvement and participation from your heart.

Wishing you happy times
President PSSLD
Dr. Mohammad Salih