KARACHI: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has chosen Karachi for a pilot project on violence against healthcare, said Jerome Alexander Imstepf, who is serving as the deputy director, head of delegation, ICRC-Pakistan, on Monday.

The project involves a research analysis of hostile conditions being faced by medical staf f and later training will be provided to medical professionals on how they could protect themselves against violence and perform their duties in conflict-hit environment.

The plan for the pilot project was announced at an event held for the launch of a three-day war surgery seminar at a hotel. Mr Imstepf said: `The seminar is being held for the first time in Karachi by ICRC in collaboration with the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) as two similar programmes had been held in Peshawar.

He said the seminar focussed on the quality of treatment of wounds. The quality could be improved significantly using very simple, cost-effective, but scientifically appropriate techniques, he added.

`The ICRC has years of global experience in the treatment of weaponwounded patients and the seminar provides an opportunity to transfer those skills, lessons and knowledge to Pakistani surgeons,` said Mr Imstepf.

Briefing the audience about ICRC services and its history, Mr Imstepf said the 150-year-old organisation had been providing impartial humanitarian assistance in different areas of Pakistan since 1948. `The organization has stood side by side with the people of Pakistan in times of disasters and conflicts. It has now developed partnership with different organizations and institutions and has extended its Held of assistance that includes health, physical rehabilitation and support for re-establishing family links,` he said.

The surgeons participating in the seminar would also earn credit hours from the DUHS that had accredited the programme for its continued medical education (CME) training approved by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, he said.

The ICRC, he said, was working with Indus Hospital in Karachi in the field of physical rehabilitation while the city had been chosen as a pilot project onviolence againsthealthcare.

Speaking as chief guest, Sindh minister for parliamentary affairs Dr Sikandar Mandhro said that it had become utmost important to acquire and improve skills in the treatment of weapon wounds, considering the vola-tile situation of cities and incidents of terrorism in the country.

`There are undeclared wars, too, that need to be focused upon. Besides, Pakistan is prone to disasters and has been struck by many misfortunes in recent years. This situation underlines the importance of organisations such as the ICRC,` he said.A documentary on ICRC`s global activities focusing on Pakistan was also screened on the occasion.

ICRC health coordinator Dr Bonaventure Bazirutwabo, Prof Shams Nadeem Alam of the DUHS, Indus Hospital chief executive Dr Abdul Bari, Brigadier Khadim Hussain Jatoi, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre executive director Dr Seemin Jamali and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital deputy medical superintendent Dr Nadeem Arif received shields from the chief guest.

Fifty-five surgeons from major hospitals of Karachi, including JPMC, ASH, Indus Hospital, Civil Hospital Karachi, Combined Military Hospital and PNS Shifa Hospital, will participate in the seminar. There will also be representation from non-government organisations such as Falahe Insaniyat Foundation and Al-Khidmat Foundation.

Based in Germany, Dr Guenter Wimhoefer and Dr Marco Pinna Pintor from Italy will conduct the seminar.