Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: A distinguished gathering of medical experts convened at the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh on Friday, January 31, 2025, for the International Medical Symposium.
The event, hosted by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Ahmad Farooq, featured Dr. Hussein Al Amri, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at the Ministry of Defence, Prince Sultan Cardiac Centre, as the Chief Guest.
The symposium was the result of extensive collaboration between key healthcare stakeholders, including leaders from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), the British Pakistani Psychiatrists Association (BPPA), the Pakistan Doctors Group Riyadh (PDGR), and the local Pakistani diaspora.
With over 200 participants, the symposium facilitated a cross-pollination of medical expertise from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The discussions primarily focused on Psychiatry, Family Medicine, and Public Health, with insights shared on the NHS leadership’s role in healthcare delivery for 1.7 million people in Humber and North Yorkshire. Contributions from the Royal Colleges of Psychiatry and General Practice enriched the discourse, while local examples, such as the Riyadh 1 cluster’s healthcare advancements, were also highlighted.
Prof. Duncan Selbie, Senior Advisor to the Saudi Public Health Authority (Weqaya), and Dr. Al Amri delivered concluding remarks, emphasizing the pressing need to address the growing burden of mental health issues and cardiovascular diseases in both countries.
The Pakistan Doctors Group Riyadh (PDGR) expressed pride in contributing to Saudi Arabia’s Health Transformation Vision 2030. The successful execution of the symposium underscored the dedication and collaborative efforts of all participants, speakers, and organizers.
The event concluded with a commitment to further strengthen international medical cooperation and launch more impactful healthcare initiatives in the future.
