FFC organises symposium on ‘operational excellence’

ISLAMABAD (PR): Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) organised a two-day symposium on Operational Excellence here, which was attended by professionals from various national and international companies. Main purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity to the industry professionals to interact and share their knowledge and experience in technology application in the maintenance and operations of fertilizer plants. Speakers from FFC, Johnson Matthey, Mari Petroleum Company, Fatima Group and Engro Fertilizers, presented papers on different industry related topics regarding upstream processing, efficient plant operations and maintenance. While addressing the event, chief guest of the event CE&MD FFC Lt Gen (r) Shafqaat Ahmed HI (M) emphasized on the importance of industry working together to find solutions to the challenges faced by the industry and help achieve food security for Pakistan. He thanked all the delegates for participation in knowledge sharing and vowed to hold more events like this.

Fountain House holds event
LAHORE (PR): Fountain House organised an event on the World Mental Health Day on Monday at Prof Dr Rasheed Chaudhry Auditorium Fountain House here.
The theme of the World Mental Health Day was the Dignity of Mental Health and psychological first aid. The theme was shared among mental health professionals, students, media channels and Fountain House members and staff. The practicing mental health professionals and members of Fountain House shared their expertise and life experience with the audience.
Distinguished guests like Dr Kaiser Rafique (CEO Options), Dr Shahid A Zia, Asstt Prof Usman Rashid Ch, Dr Saif Ullah, Malik Bashir, Awais Aslam, Saima Nasim, Aamir Farooqi, Roohi Bano, Lubna Babar and members from PILL NGO participated in this programme. Dr Amjad Saqib, chairman of the Fountain House, sent his cordial message to all mental health professionals and philanthropists for best of luck in their professional ventures.

SKMCH&RC has full-fledged palliative medicine team

LAHORE (PR): Due to archaic Opioid regulatory rules in Pakistan, acquisition of morphine for pain control is extremely difficult, causing huge problems for patients on palliative care.
This was stated by Dr Haroon Hafeez, Associate Medical Director, Consultant Hospitalist and Palliative Medicine Physician of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC), in an interview with journalists on World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. He stated that currently in Lahore, SKMCH&RC is the only hospital where we have full-fledged palliative medicine team and access to some basic opioids. Highlighting the importance of palliative care, Dr Haroon said that it is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. Dr Haroon further shared that unfortunately, this is not a recognized specialty (in terms of no undergraduate or postgraduate training opportunities) in Pakistan which, when combined with the inherently stressful and emotionally demanding nature of this job, has created a scarcity of specialists in palliative care in Pakistan. Currently there are only less than tenaccredited practicing palliative medicine physiciansin the whole country.
Dr Haroon further explained that SKMCH&RC is a pioneer in the development of physician-led services in palliative medicine in Pakistan. The Hospital’s Internal Medicine Department runs specialist palliative medicine clinics for patients that require symptom management for terminal as well as chronic conditions. The clinics are multidisciplinary comprising of a team of highly-trained physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and psychologists who come together to offer a holistic treatment plan for the patient.
Dr. Haroon emphasized on the need for palliative care services on a national level so that we may be able to ease the physical as well as psychological sufferings of especially the chronically and terminally ill patients.

ACCA releases “FinTech – transforming finance" report

LAHORE (PR): The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has released a new report as part of Research and Insight (R&I). The report looks at the boom of Financial Technology (FinTech), its impact on the financial service landscape, and how it will offer a real opportunity for Pakistan to establish itself as the centre of global finance.
The report, FinTech – transforming finance, finds that FinTech’s impact on finance and banking is as revolutionary as the internet on other areas of the economy. The rapid growth of such firms in the face of traditional regulatory models could increasingly become a barrier to success.
Sajid Khan, head of ACCA International Development, says the report highlights the opportunity for Pakistan’s IT sector. Sajid Khan also thinks that the growth of FinTech also relies on the guidance and insight of finance professionals. He thinks that rather than threaten the accountancy profession, FinTech will particularly benefit professional accountants with a highly developed, globally-focused skill-set. Sajid Khan also thinks the development of FinTech will be good news for consumers as well as businesses,