Dr. Adib Rizvi (right) and Dr. Anwar Naqvi (center) in conver sation with Dr. Moazam (left) on CBEC’s terrace.
Messages by Dr. Adib Rizvi and Dr. Anwar Naqvi
Message, Dr. Adib Rizvi, Director, SIUT & Patron, Sindh Institute of Medical Sciences
Our initiative at SIUT to establish the country’s first bioethics centre was a leap of faith. I am delighted to see that it has not only flourished, but has contributed meaningfully to the development of this neglected interdisciplinary field in the country.
My interactions with Dr. Farhat Moazam during her doctoral research in 2002 convinced me she should lead SIUT’s first bioethics center. The Centre of Biomedical Ethics and Culture (CBEC) at SIUT has since made significant progress, enhancing ethics capacity nationwide through educational events. Since establishing Pakistan’s organ transplant program, SIUT has strived to ensure ethical practices, with CBEC advancing this mission through research and education.
In line with our ethos and policies in SIUT, we offer free medical treatment and free education to those we serve. CBEC therefore offers free postgraduate education in bioethics to all those who are selected in their programs. Additionally, the Centre also conducts free of cost workshops for national institutions and helps them to establish ethics committees. Looking ahead, I hope CBEC can enhance its impact in Pakistan, especially in clinical ethics, supported by its growing alumni network. SIUT resources will always be there for CBEC to further its mission.
Message, Dr. Anwar Naqvi, Rector, Sindh Institute Medical Sciences
I have been closely involved in the evolution of CBEC-SIUT since 2004, when I was given the role of SIUT coordinator for the Centre. The initial years were a challenge in integrating CBEC activities with SIUT, a solely healthcare provider institution. However, my role as a bridge between the two proved to be very rewarding. Over the past two decades, I have seen with pleasure CBEC attaining national and international prominence.
SIUT was the first institution in Pakistan to commit resources to foster bioethics by financing CBEC, and its academic programs. The Centre has utilized these resources effectively to provide an academic platform for bioethics in Pakistan. I hope to see CBEC maintain the high standards that it has set as it moves into its third decade and beyond.