German expert highlights health issues at SSUET seminar

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The biomedical engineering department of the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, (SSUET), organized a seminar on “Regulation of Pump Function: Our Heart under control of Hormones” at the campus in which guest speaker, an internationally recognized German  physiologist and pharmacologist, Prof. Dr Joachim W Herzig delivered a very informative lecture.

Speaking on the occasion, Engr Mohammad Adil Usman, Chancellor SSUET, observed that people in Pakistan stood at higher risk of developing heart diseases and according to a survey, over one third of all deaths in Pakistan were caused by cardiovascular diseases as heart diseases accounted for around 35 to 40 per cent of the total disease burden in the country

He expressed deep concern over the increasing rate of heart diseases in the country, particularly among the youth due to the lack of awareness.

Chancellor Adil Usman also called for reducing the cost of treatment of heart diseases in Pakistan which was on higher side.

“It would be a great service to the nation if the efforts should be made at providing internationally recognized quality standards of cardiac care to the common man in the country with minimum cost,” he said.

Addressing the seminar, the guest speaker Prof Dr Joachim Herzig stated that pump failure was a condition in which blood supply to vital organs was impaired which resulted in the reduced economy of the heart.

“Heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped working. It means that heart's pumping power is less effective than normal. In heart failure, blood moves through the heart and body at a slower rate, and pressure in the heart increases. As a result, the heart cannot pump enough blood carrying oxygen and nutrients to meet the body's needs,” he explained.

He also pointed out that the chambers of the heart may respond bystretching to carry more blood to pump through the body or by becoming more stiff and thickened. This helps to keep the blood moving for a while, but in time, the heart muscle walls may weaken and are unable to pump as strongly.

As a result, the kidneys respond by causing the body to retain fluid (water) and sodium. A heart attack can damage the heart muscle, resulting in a scarred area that does not function properly.

The visiting professor spoke in detail about the Renin–Angiotensin System (RAS) and the Frank–Starling Law of the heart.

Earlier Chairman, Biomedical Engineering Department, Prof Dr M A Haleem, presented the progress report of the department. In the end Chancellor Adil Usman presented a SSUET souvenir bag to Prof DrJoachim Herzig.

SSUET celebrates Independence Day

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan’s Independence Day was celebrated at the Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET), Karachi, with an impressive flag hoisting ceremony performed by Chancellor Engr Mohammed Adil Usman on August 14. 

On the occasion glowing tributes were paid to the people who sacrificed their lives during struggle for having an independent homeland for the Muslims of South Asia where they ordained their lives in accordance with the dictates of Islam and live as a dignified nation. 

“Today we are celebrating the day with a feeling enriched with emotions, profound joy and patriotic zest,” Chancellor Adil Usman observed while addressing the ceremony. 

He said dignified nations carry out movement to seek freedom which in turn demands responsibility which can be fulfilled only through a national will. “As a free nation it should be our incumbent responsibility to ensure that we fulfil our commitment to the sacred national cause,” he stressed. 

The flag hoisting ceremony was also attended by Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Syed Jawaid H. Rizvi, who paid rich tribute to father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, and all those who sacrificed their lives for the attainment of separate homeland. 

He underlined the need for translating the Quaid’s motto of unity, faith and discipline into reality and working together for greater national image building. 

Emotional scenes were witnessed on the occasion with national flag waving university students, joined by senior members of the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA), raising slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. 

On the occasion the students enthralled the participants with national songs. The ceremony was attended, among others, by the SSUET Registrar, Engr Syed Abrar Ali, Cmdr. (R) Saleem Siddiqui, Masood Alam and other senior Aligarians besides faculty and staff members and university employees. 

The ceremony concluded with prayer led by Hafiz Arsalan Saeed for national progress and prosperity of the Muslim Ummah.

New academic block to be completed at SSUET next month

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The work on the construction of ground plus six-storey new academic block at the Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, is going on apace and is expected to be completed by September 2015.

The project was originally estimated to cost Rs 95.70 million as it was planned to construct basement plus four floors. 

However, subsequently, during the course of construction it was decided to add another two floors at a cost of Rs 46.977 million - thus increasing the project cost by Rs 46.97 million bringing the total cost of the project to Rs 142.677 million. 

Since the commencement of construction work, substantial physical and financial progress has been made so far. 

During the financial year a sum of Rs 50.60 million was provided in the budget for the ongoing construction of new academic block. 

However, the revised budget has been increased to Rs 76.10 million showing an increase of Rs 25.50 million. The university has allocated Rs 27.40 million in the 2015-16 budget for the project, expected to be completed by September. The provision includes installation of lifts and fire alarm system. 

The newly constructed block will house the departments of Civil Engineering and Architecture. The construction of new blocks had become imperative in view of introduction of new technologies including Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Bio-Infomatics and Architecture.