Pakistan Society of Emergency Medicine (PSEM) held the National Emergency Medicine Conference 2025 at Shifa International Hospital bringing together leading emergency medicine experts from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
The event held under the Collaborative Hubs of Academic Learning Organisations (cHALO) initiative — an international collaboration aimed at enhancing clinical training and emergency response systems across Pakistan. The conference turned out to be a significant step towards strengthening the country’s emergency and trauma care systems.
“Emergency medicine is the true game changer for Pakistan’s healthcare system,” said Dr. Abdus Salam Khan, Emergency Consultant, Shifa International Hospital, Founder and Former President of PSEM. Dr. Khawaja Junaid Mustafa, Chief Medical Officer, Shifa International Hospital & President PSEM, noted that developing internationally recognized emergency departments across the country has become a national priority, supported by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Day 1 of the conference focused on Clinical Core Skills and Paediatric Emergency Care, featuring presentations by Dr. Qasim Sahi, Dr. Tamkeen Pervez, Dr. Anwer Qureshi, Dr. Nadeem Ashraf, and Dr. Mahvish Ahmad (UK). A “Challenge the Experts” panel included Dr. Amjid Mohammed (UK), Dr. Adris Razzaq (UK), Dr. Faraaz Bhatti (USA), and Dr. Mueed Ahmad (UAE). The paediatric segment featured Dr. Syeda Sobya Owais (Shifa International Hospital), Dr. Emadudin Siddiqi (AKU), Dr. Anisa Jafar (UK), and Dr. Mashood Qazi (UAE).
Day 2 centred on Resuscitation Science, Policy, and Leadership. Dr. Junaid Razzak (USA) opened with Resuscitation Science – Latest Strategies We Can Deliver, followed by Dr. Abdul Sattar, Dr. Beenish Hameed, Dr. Faraz Bhatti (USA), and Dr. Naeem Toosy (UAE). Policy discussions by Dr. Faisal Subhani, Dr. Salman Khan, Dr. Mueed Ahmad, and Dr. Azer Shaikh addressed low-resource emergency care, disaster readiness, and the development of a national triage system.
A Leadership and Workforce Development session, co-chaired by Dr. Abdus Salam Khan and Dr. Taj Hassan (UK), featured Mr. Fergal Hickey (Ireland) and Mr. John Heyworth (UK), along with Dr. Junaid Razzak (USA) and Dr. Tamkeen Pervaiz who discussed leadership models and the role of academic institutions in shaping emergency medicine policy. Concluding the event, Dr. Abdus Salam Khan remarked that Pakistan now stands “at the threshold of a new era in emergency care — where training, technology, and teamwork will ensure no patient is ever denied timely treatment.”
