'The greatest
satisfaction is to see the smiles on the patients' faces'.
Prof. Doctor Adeeb Rizvi
By: SMICONS
When it comes to medical treatment and welfare of patients coming over to SIUT a
prominent name, doing a phenomenal job, comes to our mind is Prof. Doctor Adeeb
Rizvi.
An individual's effort devoted to the service of humanity is one of the very
first of thought that comes to mind when we talk about Dr. Adeeb Rizvi, a doctor
by profession and a hardcore philanthropist.
The efforts of Dr.Rizvi, not only as a doctor but as an administrator and as a
human being, are highly commendable. Dr Adeeb Rizvi worked day and night for
decades and has come a long way in developing his institute as a leading urology
and transplantation facility in this region. He and his team have worked with
dedication to provide complete medical care from treatment to medicine, surgery
and post-treatment care complete free of cost.
He has devoted his very existence in saving millions of lives through the
establishment of SIUT. An institution, where one learns the acts of kindness,
companionship, commitment and struggle to save those who cannot afford a proper
treatment due to lack of funds and financial crisis.
He has the great will to cater his patient’s desires.
SIUT was started in 1971and is now the largest health organization in Pakistan.
This provides free and comprehensive services in urology, nephrology,
transplantation and liver related diseases. A recognized centre of excellence in
South East Asia is by the name of 'Sindh Institute of Urology and
Transplantation' (SIUT).
The interview with Dr.Rizvi was an interesting and a great experience for us.
While interviewing him we asked professional as well as some personal questions
which we thought are necessary to know.
Dr. Adeeb was never interested in becoming a doctor. “My passion was
engineering. It was my mother’s will to let my elder brother to be a doctor
because my maternal grandfather was in this field but due to my brother’s
accidental death I decided to sacrifice my passion to fulfill my mother’s
wish.”Allama Iqbal became an inspiring personality for him. Like him Dr.Rizvi
also realized and responded to the increasing need of people for such a rapidly
increasing disease.
“S.I.U.T was not a Big Bang. Like each work initially starts with small things,
SIUT was started as an 8 bed unit in 1971 and moved gradually towards success
and is now a 450 bedded facility, the largest health organization in Pakistan.”
told Mr.Rizvi.
What financial problems do SIUT faces? “SIUT is still facing financial problems.
As we are providing free service to all the patients so SIUT is not generating
any money itself. From treatment of patients to salaries of staff we need
financial support. Also there is a big need to get new and modern technologies
so also for this funding is important for us” says the doctor.
While answering to the question regarding free service for patients Dr.Rizvi
answered “SIUT’s main motive is to serve all people, coming here, free of cost.
Irrespective of any discrimination of caste, creed, religion or race we provide
equal service to all by following our slogan “Free with Dignity”.
We asked about support they want from government, the doctor replied “No
government can fully support its nation because of unequal distribution of
resources and wealth all over the world. 3/4th countries of world are developing
but have only 20% of resources and 1/4th countries are developed but still they
are enjoying 80% of resources.
This similar injustice is with Pakistan, 80% wealth is in the hand of feudal and
landlords and only 20% resources are for such a large number of people. Due to
this injustice people became slaves of the fewer owners of resources so it is
not possible for government to fulfill the need of all and we can’t expect any
kind of support from it in this condition.”
Letting illiteracy be responsible for the increasing kidney related diseases in
Pakistan Dr. Rizvi added “In my opinion the cause due to which this disease is
increasing is ‘Illiteracy’. This disease is most common in women but people in
most of the areas are still not agreed to allow their girls and women to go
outside their homes even for medical treatment and most of the women in our
country have never faced doctors in their whole life.
About 56% females are bounded and due to male dominancy they do not get proper
treatment at the initial stage of disease which let the disease to become more
and more dangerous for their health.
“I have researched a lot on this disease to know its causes, symptoms and
treatments. We are still doing research to find main causes of stone making,
cancer and to know that why most of the kidneys are being rejected during
transplantation.” he said while talking about his personal research on this
special field. He also added “Mostly male and female both faces this problem but
female ratio is little bit high in this disease but they are neglected.”
“We deal with million of patients regarding urology, nephrology, transplantation
and liver related diseases. More than Rs. 2 lacks we spend on a single
patient/month by providing medicines for the time period they required to
complete the treatment course and for the patients of transplantation we provide
them with lifetime medicines.” the Dr quoted.
Doctor Rizvi told some of main causes and initial treatment for kidney diseases
that are Mall Nutrition, less water dinking, hypertension and, people having
overweight or very low weight due to unbalanced diet.
He says “it can be initially treated by taking proper diet having enough
nutrition for body, using pure water for drinking, drinking as much water as a
person can and by doing different exercises for health and active body people
can avoid such type of disease.”
Answering the question about honours which he has been awarded by the government
Dr. Adeeb replied in a satisfactory and very polite way “The biggest award by
government for me is that they are not interfering in our work so that we are
doing our best to fulfill our mission without any hindrance or problem.”
Specialist has a great fame and need nationally as well as Internationally, What
offers Dr.Rizvi gets from foreign world or governments “I used to go foreign
countries for my job as per the need. As many small pieces combine together to
make a big machine similarly we doctors from all over the world are working
together to overcome this increasing disease,” he answered.
As new diseases have been introduced, the demand for more specialized doctors is
increasing, in this regard what role SIUT is performing to provide platform for
young doctors? “As far concerning the issue of giving opportunities to young
doctors, yes, we are preparing young doctors for future challenges regarding
this disease. We still can’t predict that what new diseases could be faced so
their will be the need to introduce new treatments. Things are moving and
changing quickly so we can never paste to one thing. We are giving different
trainings in urology, nephrology, dialysis, transplantation and liver related
diseases,” stated Dr.Rizvi Replying to a personal question about balance in his
personal and professional life, the doctor answered in a polite way “I prefer my
personal life but there should be always equilibrium in both personal and
professional life. No division should be there.”
What DR. Adeeb predicts the future of SIUT in the coming years? “SIUT is
performing a vital role and will always perform the same. We are giving
education of PHD and Masters Level, by this we are preparing future doctors. As
now Pakistan is not stable to fight against injustice with it in terms of
resources and wealth so it’s our aim to educate and liberate people in order to
let them aware about the right of our country in distribution of resources.
Similarly, by seeing the positive and satisfactory response by our patients we
can say that SIUT will always serve with great kindness and love.” he comments.
The well wisher of people gave the statement when he was asked about his
satisfaction with the functioning and outcomes of SIUT in country “The day I
will be fully satisfied will be the last day of my life.”
Resources are the main thing for an institution to serve others. Is SIUT having
the adequate resources to fulfill requirements of patients “Yes almost we have
adequate resources and patients are satisfied with this. We have a separate
social department to look after the behavior of the whole staff of SIUT with the
patients. Each category of people use to come here so we try our level best to
deal in a positive and in the manner that should be comfortable for them. Also
groups of volunteers and social workers also serve here and try to make good and
healthy environment for patients,” he answered If SIUT was not founded, where
Mr. Rizvi would be today? “In that condition I would not be any where.” he
shared.
Few words of Dr. Adeeb Rizvi about the future of media sciences in Pakistan are
“Media science has a bright future as media is playing vital role in educating
and informing people. Investigative journalism will have a marvelous future if
it will work sincerely to portray truth in front of all.”
In last Dr. Rizvi shared his opinion regarding the future of Pakistan in medical
sciences “Pakistan’s future in Medical Science can be bright if people started
to become educate and able to fight with future challenges regarding different
diseases and its new treatments.”