Section of Gastroenterology
This Section provides state-of-the-art endoscopy services and research activities of the GI faculty (four full-time and four non-full-time members) and has leading research productivity. The Section provides procedures which include esophagogastroduodenoscopy, endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy, endoscopic band ligation, colonoscopy, polypectomies, electrocoagulation, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), common bile duct stone extraction, etc. The Section has launched a new clinical GI service, the Esophageal pH and Manometry Unit, capable of performing 24-hour ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring and esophageal manometry. This service will be of great utility in the evaluation of patients with atypical chest pain not of cardiac origin. Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) is also a new service recently started by the Section. The Section and Department of Medicine envision the creation of an AKU Institute for Digestive and Liver Diseases in the next three years, which would serve as a national and international forum for training and research in the field of Gastroenterology/Haepatology. The Section has an ever-increasing clinical workload, reflected by enormous numbers of patients presenting to the outpatient clinics and emergency rooms.
The research focus of the Section includes viral hepatitis and chronic liver disease. In the field of viral hepatitis B and C, the Section of Gastroenterology has two researchers of international prominence in Dr Jafri and Dr Saeed Hamid, and there is an ongoing collaborative research project on chronic hepatitis C infection with the University of Cambridge.
In May 1999, the Section participated in a joint telemedicine conference with faculty from Rush Presbyterian Medical College Chicago, IL, USA. The Section has maintained its high standards of both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training, with an active and comprehensive three-year fellowship training programme in gastroenterology and haepatology.
Head of Section Dr Wasim Jafri to full professor is also Vice-President of the Pakistan Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. In addition, he is currently the Chairman of the SAARC Liver Forum, and Councilor for the Pakistan Society of Gastroenterology.
