ISLAMABAD: Health Services Academy (HSA) Vice Chancellor Prof Shahzad Ali Khan has become the first public health professional to receive the fellowship of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine (PSIM).

PSIM is the largest and most reputed representative body of physicians in Pakistan.

Dr Khan is an alumnus of King Edward Medical College Lahore with an advanced degree in public health and a PhD in health man-agement. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, and member Royal Society of Public Health, UK.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Dr Khan said the role of a good physician was not just to treat patients well but also to reduce themorbidity rate and suffering in the community.

He said physicians must develop a culture of selfassessment for regulating service delivery espe-cially to the poor and marginalised segments of community and support health system for more prudential, good quality and safer healthcare service delivery.

`Societies and associations must encourage accreditation and standardisation ef forts of the governmentand lobby for increased governance in health systems,` he said.

Dr Khan said he will assist all research and public health activities of PSIM at an individual level and also at organisational level through the HSA whose aim is to promote public health in Pakistan.