Background Information

International Academy of Pathology (IAP) – Pakistan Division

Background:

Pakistan is the 6^th most populous country in the world with a population of over 200 million. ‘Pakistan Association of Pathologists (PAP)’ is the common platform of all Pathologists of Pakistan; its foundation was laid in 1975 and since early 1980s it regularly holds its annual conferences in a city of Pakistan.

In 2019, 42^nd annual conference of PAP will be held in Quetta from Oct 19-20. Currently over 800 pathologists from all sub-specialties (Histopathology & Cytology, Haematology, Microbiology, Chemical Pathology & Immunology) are regular members of PAP. In later years speciality specific societies like ‘Histopathology & Cytology Society of Pakistan (HCSP)’, ‘Pakistan Society of Haematology’and others were also created and hold their own annual meetings along with companion sessions with PAP. HCSP was founded in 2010.

At about the same time in 1986, PAP took initiative to go ahead with ‘IAP-Pakistan Division’ which was formally approved in IAP Vienna congress. In later years however, unfortunately though PAP activities continued, this chapter became dormant so much so that relatively younger generation of pathologists even did not know that it existed.

To our fortune in December, 2011 in a pathology course I met Professor Ho-Keung Ng, Associate Dean (Education), Faculty of Medicine and Department of Anatomical & Cellular Pathology Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He motivated us and facilitated revival of IAP-Pakistan Division in 2012. David F. Hardwick, Secretary International Academy of Pathology also helped us to get back our international status. I am Founding President of ‘IAP–Pakistan Division’ and in 2019 membership of IAP-Pakistan Division stands at 205.

First meeting of the IAP-Pakistan Division was held on 2^nd November, 2013 along with HCSP at Pear Continental Hotel Karachi with about 200 registered participants from across Pakistan. Besides several local speakers, Prof Samir Amr, Past President, International Academy of Pathology participated as guest speaker and had a presentation on IAP, its history and educational mission. President IAP also presented a commemorative plaque to Dr Shahid Pervez. Since then combined meeting of & ‘IAP-Pakistan Division’ &‘Histopathology & Cytology Society of Pakistan (HCSP)’ are regularly held. This year in 2019 it was held at Marriott, Islamabad from April 20-21. Next year combined meeting is scheduled in first week of April in Karachi. Our division is part of ‘Asia Pacific Assembly of IAP’ www.aapiap.org.

To visit website of our division please also visit www.hcsp-iap.pk

Currently there are two councilors from our division who represent Pakistan in the central council (Dr Shahid Pervez & Dr Naila Kayani).

Sincerely,

Dr. Shahid Pervez,

MBBS, DCP (London), Ph.D (Histopath, London); FCPS (Histopath PK), FRCPath (UK)

Professor & Consultant Histopathologist

Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine,

Founder President ‘International Academy of Pathology (IAP)’ – Pakistan Division

Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi 74800, Pakistan

Email: shahid.pervez@aku.edu

Phone (office): +92 21 34861554

Phone (Cell): +92 300 2363786