LAHORE, Dec 11: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved the establishment of Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) in Bahawalpur.

The health secretary has constituted a four-member committee to prepare an action plan for the institute’s establishment.

A Health Department spokesman said the committee would prepare a plan to make the institute functional from academic year 2013-14.

Postgraduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Dr Anjum Habib Vohra would be the convener of the committee, while Quaid-i-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur Principal Prof Dr Khwaja Haroon Khursheed, Allama Iqbal Medical College Principal Prof Dr Mahmood Shaukat and Health Department Chief Planning Officer Abdul Haq Bhatti would be its members.

The committee will meet once a week and can appoint a technical expert to seek opinion.

The spokesman said by establishing the PGMI in Bahawalpur, the scope of higher medical education would be enhanced for the students of southern Punjab at the local level, adding better health facilities would be provided to the people of far-flung areas of the province.

Seminar: Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital and the Pakistan Parkinson’s Society will jointly organise a seminar on Wednesday (today) to raise awareness about Parkinson’s disease.

AIMC Principal Prof Mahmood Shaukat and Parkinson’s Society Chairman Haroon Rasheed said an understanding had been reached under which both institutions would jointly work towards creating awareness about Parkinson’s disease and providing exposure to general practitioners, family physicians, nurses and therapists about the disease and its management.

A statement issued on Tuesday said the first seminar would be organised at the AIMC Auditorium on Wednesday (today) comprising two sessions addressed by specialists and Parkinson’s patients.

The first session would focus on doctors and medical staff, while the second would address the issues related to patients and caregivers.

Parkinson’s is a progressive movement disorder that usually develops after the age of 60. The overall prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in the world is estimated to be approximately 6.5 million.