DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRICS MEDICINE– UNIT I
Prof. Ghazanfar Ali Sheikh MBBS (KEMC), MD (USA), DABP, FAAP(USA) FLEX (USA) Professor of Paediatrics Medicine

Brief History & Introduction

Department of Paediatrics, King Edward Medical University is the premier most department of the country. It is a tertiary care referral centre for sick children from all over the Punjab. It was established by Late Prof. S.M.K. Wasti in a small room in Outpatient Department of Mayo Hospital, Lahore in 1948. It was shifted to a ward in a hut in Tetanus Ward of Mayo Hospital, Lahore in 1950. Prof. S.M.K. Wasti assumed the charge as its first professor in 1953. In 1956 the department of Paediatrics was shifted to the present premises which was donated by Rai Bahadur Amarnath in 1946. The department was expanded to the new block (Paediatric Surgery Block) in 1982 with an increased bed strength of 110. The construction of children’s Medical Specialty Block started in 1991.
With the bifurcation of this department into two units with effect from 9th February, 2006, Prof. Ghazanfar Ali Sheikh continued as head of Department and of Paediatric Unit-I. Since the set up of this Department, the following Professors served it. Prof. S.M. Hanif 1970, 1971- 1990 Prof. Shaukat Raza Khan, 1991-1997 Prof. Tariq Iqbal Bhutta, 1998-2002 Prof. Tahir Masood Ahmed, 2003 to-date Prof. Ghazanfar Ali Sheikh.

Department of Paediatrics Unit-I was set up in Children’s Medical Specialty Block (under construction). The foundation stone was laid in September 1991 by the then Prime Minister, Mr. M. Nawaz Sharif. The structure was completed in 1994. Currently the newly constructed block has four functional floors including basement. Unit – 1 of Paediatric Department is housed at First and 2nd floors. The ground floor comprising of Emergency Section, Intensive Care Unit, Follow-up Clinics, Asthma Clinic, Paediatric Radiology and Speech Therapy Clinic is shared by both the Paediatric units ( I & II)

Standing (L-R): Dr. Nazia, Dr. Humayun Iqbal, Prof. Ghazanfar A. Sheikh, Dr. Tahir Javed, Dr. Iftikhar Ijaz

The first floor of the block has Professor’s Office (on temporary basis), Neonatology Unit, Diarrhea Unit and Isolation Section. On the 2nd floor there are Hematology and Oncology Units, General Medical Section, Paediatric Nephrology Section and Endocrine Section. 3rd to 5th floors are under construction. By the completion of these floors, the unit would be expanded to half of the 4th floor and the entire 5th floor. The Paediatric Unit – 1 is equipped with ventilators, latest cardiac monitors, pulse-oximeters, neonatal incubators, baby resuscitation trolleys and the phototherapy units etc. and is capable to perform P.D Shunts Exchange transfusion and managing complicated oncology and nephrology patients.

The neonatal unit of Lady Willingdon Hospital is also attached to unit-1. Consultants of this unit are regularly visiting this nursery. This nursery not only caters for well newborns babies but also takes care of sick neonates. There is facility of ventilation as well as phototherapy at this place.

Paediatric Pathology Laboratories and the Paediatric Radiology Sections are under the supervision of Prof. Ghazanfar Ali Sheikh, Head of Paediatric Unit-1. This Laboratory consists of Microbiology, Hematology and Biochemistry. Paediatric Radiology Section in addition to routine X-Rays has facility of ultrasound and Color Doppler ultrasound.

Faculty List

Sr.No. Name Designation Qualification
1 Dr. Ghazanfar Ali Sheikh Professor DABP, FAAP
2 Dr. Humayun Iqbal Khan Assistant Professor MBBS, FCPS
3 Dr. Iftikhar Ijaz Assistant Professor MBBS, FCPS
4 Dr. Tahir Javed Assistant Professor MBBS, FCPS
5 Dr. Nazia Akhar Registrar MBBS, DCH
6 Dr. Muhammad Ali SMO MBBS
7 Dr. Fareeha Anjum WMO MBBS
8 Dr. Tanzeela Riaz WMO MBBS
9 Dr. Sultan Ali MO MBBS

Dr. Iftikhar Ijaz, Examinaing a Child.

List Of Teaching Programs
Postgraduate Programs

• MD
• FCPS
• MCPS
• MRCPCH
Undergraduate Programs
• MBBS
• DCH Diploma

LIST OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

1. Dr. Fareeha Anjum
2. Dr. Tanzeela Riaz
3. Dr. Sultan Ali
4. Dr. Qazi Mumtaz
5. Dr. Shahzad
6. Dr. Abdul Maalik
7. Dr. Tayyaba

STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 2005.

The statistics of the department for both the units are combined as their independent running started in early 2006. During the year 2005, 57,429 children were entertained in the Emergency Room. Out of these 23,540 patients were admitted in various sections of the department. During the year 2004 43,640 patients were seen in the emergency, out of which 16,325 were admitted. This shows an increase of 31.59% in the emergency attendance and 59.35% in the admission rate. There were 1,604 deaths during the year 2005 (mortality rate – 6.8%. In addition to these 10,984 children were seen in various follow-up clinics during this year. With the current trend of increasing admission rate, we expect around 35,000 admissions in both the units (around 17,000 admissions in unit-1) this year.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

• To find out the Etiological cause of chronic renal failure in Paediatric patients
• Training of birth attendants for Neonatal Resuscitation in urban settings.
• In collaboration with WHO, Survellience of Hib infection in neonatal and childhood meningitis.
• Maternal risk factors in low birth weight infants
• Frequency and complications of hypokalemia in acute watery diarrhea.
• Frequency and pattern of seizures in cerebral palsy.
• Diagnostic value of hematological parameters in neonatal sepsis.
• Etiology of acute bacterial meningitis in children.
• Growth velocity in congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• Outcome of early onset neonatal sepsis.

The department is actively involved in clinical research. During the year 2005, there were 5 publications of the consultants of this unit. This is also involved in a multi-centre study of Surveillance of acute bacterial meningitis. There are new research proposals including hepatitis-B and C seroprevalence, chronic renal failure in children and acute lymphoblastic leukemia management.

Professor Ghazanfar Ali Shiekh has special interest in neonatology and has carried out original research for early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. He has done research work to find prevalence of birth in newborns. He has been involved in antroprometric data of Pakistani children.