Dr Shazia Fatima assumes charge as KIRAN director

ISLAMABAD: Renowned cancer specialist and oncologist Dr Shazia Fatima has been appointed head of the Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (KIRAN).

She has assumed office as director of the prestigious institute. She was heading the department of nuclear medicine/cancer of Nuclear Medicine Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), Islamabad, before moving to Karachi.

Both the hospitals are under the administrative control of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), duly registered with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Dr Shaziz Fatima has been elevated to the incumbent assignment keeping her rich experience and services in the relevant sphere in view. The PAEC has 19 medical centres spread all over the country, where patients have access to diagnostic and treatment facilities either free of charge or at subsidized rates.

Dr Adnan Saeed has replaced Dr Shazia Fatima in NORI Islamabad. KIRAN was initially planned to have state-of-the-art radiotherapy facilities, subsequently oncology and chemotherapy services were established to meet the growing demand of poor cancer patients of Karachi and rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan at the lowest cost. Presently, the hospital provides facilities of clinical oncology, nuclear medicine, radiology, clinical laboratory with In-door unit, and pharmacy. Besides conducting research studies on the subject of cancer diagnosis and biopsy, the KIRAN hospital also organises awareness campaigns against the diseases. From 2002–2006 a study to evaluate the significance of prostate specific antigen and scan in prostate cancer patients was conducted and findings were published first in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association.