Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb

Ayub Teaching Hospital director

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb is a medical director and professor & head of Neurosurgery at Ayub Medical Teaching Institute / Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad. After training, Aurangzeb returned to Ayub Medical College. He is a professor and head of neurosurgery at Ayub Teaching Hospital and serves as its Medical Director.

Early life and background

Aurangzeb attended school before attending Ayub Medical College. He has said his mother asked him to become a doctor. He went to the ISSB level, but his mother stopped him and told him to become a doctor. [1]

Education

Aurangzeb graduated from medical school in 1996-97 and is a graduate of Ayub Medical College. He chose neurosurgery because he had a passion for it. He specialised in neurosurgery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and trained with his supervisor, a professor, from 1999 to 2004. [1]

He received a scholarship from a world neurosurgery federation. He then trained for one year in microvascular neurosurgery in Nagoya, Japan. [1]

Career

After training, Aurangzeb returned to Ayub Medical College. He is a professor and head of neurosurgery at Ayub Teaching Hospital and serves as its Medical Director. In that role he looks after the clinical care of patients, and the faculty, trainees and medical officers come under him. [1]

He says eight neurosurgeons have qualified and eight more are in training. He says 1,130 to 1,200 surgeries are performed annually, and that about 70% of roughly 1,100 of those surgeries are trauma cases. He says patients come to Ayub Teaching Hospital from Gilgit. He also says doctors of his generation worked 36 hours straight on call. [1]

He says neurosurgery has changed greatly, with minimally invasive and endoscopic surgery. He says single-beam high-frequency radiation is used for tumours smaller than 3 cm. He adds that a lot of work is now being done on stem cells. [1]

COVID-19 at Ayub Teaching Hospital

Aurangzeb says Ayub Teaching Hospital reported its first COVID case on 19 March 2020. He says the hospital closed elective services in mid-June during the first wave, when it had about 89 patients. He says the hospital has had up to 102 patients at one time during COVID. He says elective services were stopped again so the hospital could create space. [1]

Views on COVID-19 and vaccines

Aurangzeb thinks COVID will remain for another three to four years. He says immunity lasts about six to nine months and differs from person to person. He says vaccinated people can still carry the virus and infect others, so they still need to take precautions. [1]

He says the vaccines passed safety trials, but long-term side effects are not yet known. He says Sinopharm and Sputnik are equally good and have passed the safety tests, and that Pakistan took part in the Sinopharm trials. He also says masks could stop up to 80% of transmission if people wore them. [1]

Views on health care in Pakistan

Aurangzeb says health and affording health are both very big challenges in Pakistan. He says the biggest dilemma in the country is that people cannot afford treatment. He says until recently 79% of treatment was still paid out of pocket, and that many services are free at public sector hospitals. He says the government pays the hospital back through an insurance system. [1]

He says there are multiple systems running, unlike the NHS or the US, where there is a single insurance system. He says public health is the most neglected system in the country and that a rational distribution of health services is lacking. He says preventive medicine is not being worked on enough, and that typhoid, cholera and diarrhoea are obsolete diseases that still exist in Pakistan. He says Pakistan's average life expectancy is 61 years. [1]

Views on medical education and the profession

Aurangzeb says Pakistan does little research, and he links this to too few doctors and too many new medical colleges. He says Abbottabad has four medical colleges. He says a system is planned in which medical graduates must take an exit exam after passing their final year MBBS exam. He says the plan is to bring all medical colleges under one umbrella to improve their quality, and that health education should be standardised across medical colleges. He says doctors work for two or three years and then leave. [1]

He says commitment and dedication were greater in the past and have declined with time. He says health is a service that never stops, so doctors must be passionate about it. He says that at the end of the day you have to physically see the patient, and that a diagnosis is a sum of three things, starting with the patient's history. [1]

He says strikes by doctors and hospital shutdowns are not acceptable, that he has never taken part in a strike and does not endorse them, and that doctors should not refuse to treat a human being. He says people in Pakistan expect doctors to work miracles, which has led to attacks on doctors. He argues that mandatory helmets would prevent many head injuries. [1]

Views on patients and medicines

Aurangzeb says medical ethics requires doctors to tell patients everything about their care. He says he prefers telling a patient directly when the patient has a brain tumour, and that families often become offended when a patient is told the diagnosis. He says that as a nation, people do not like to accept reality. He says most patients reach him at an end stage of their condition and often wait until they have a neurological deficit before coming to him. [1]

He says a new DRAP ruling bars doctors from prescribing by brand name. He says a medicine is counterfeit only when someone makes it at home and sells it. He says Pakistan manufactures medicine but imports its raw materials and salts, and that the machinery for manufacturing is also imported. [1]

He says Pakistan is still confused and has no clear direction. He says Pakistan can change and succeed if it becomes focused and disciplined. [1]

Personal life

Aurangzeb says his younger brother lives in the United States, and that he recently had a child. He says he has been to 47 countries and started travelling young, with his father. He says he was with his father in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in the 1970s and attended an American school there, and that he travelled across Africa with his father. [1]

He says he goes tracking in remote parts of Pakistan where people do not go. He says travel broadens the horizon and gives a vision of life. He also says healthy living is a personal choice. [1]

Timeline

1970s
Was with his father in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and attended an American school there.[1]
1996-97
Graduated from medical school.[1]
1999-2004
Trained with his supervisor, a professor.[1]
2020
Ayub Teaching Hospital reported its first COVID case on 19 March.[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2021-05-12 Pakistan's healthcare system, brain surgery, and Covid vaccines - a neurosurgeon's view Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb?

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb is the Medical Director of Ayub Teaching Hospital. He is also a professor and head of neurosurgery at the hospital.[1]

What does Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb do?

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb is a neurosurgeon who serves as Medical Director of Ayub Teaching Hospital. As medical director he looks after the clinical care of patients, and the faculty, trainees and medical officers come under him.[1]

Where did Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb study?

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb graduated from Ayub Medical College and specialised in neurosurgery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). He later trained for one year in microvascular neurosurgery in Nagoya, Japan.[1]

When did Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb graduate from medical school?

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb graduated from medical school in 1996-97. He trained with his supervisor, a professor, from 1999 to 2004.[1]

Why did Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb become a neurosurgeon?

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb says he chose neurosurgery because he had a passion for it. He has also said his mother asked him to become a doctor.[1]

How many surgeries does Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb describe each year?

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb says 1,130 to 1,200 surgeries are performed annually. He says about 70% of roughly 1,100 of those surgeries are trauma cases.[1]

What does Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb say about COVID-19 vaccines?

Prof. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb says the vaccines passed safety trials, but long-term side effects are not yet known. He says vaccinated people can still carry the virus and infect others, so they still need to take precautions.[1]

References

  1. Pakistan's healthcare system, brain surgery, and Covid vaccines - a neurosurgeon's view . Thought Behind Things , 2021-05-12.
Show the source passages (81 statements)
  1. Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb is the Medical Director of Ayub Teaching Hospital. In conversation with Dr. Ahsan Aurangzeb, Medical Director Ayub Teaching Hospital, this episode explores covid vaccines and the healthcare system of Pakistan.
  2. His mother asked him to become a doctor. Mera to I was asked to become a doctor by my mother.
  3. He attended school before attending Ayub Medical College. I went to Abbottabad Public School, I went to Ayub Medical College
  4. He went to the ISSB level, but his mother stopped him and told him to become a doctor. I went to the ISSB level but my mother stopped me and she said no, you become a doctor.
  5. He chose neurosurgery because he had a passion for it. I thought I would become a neurosurgeon because I had a passion for neurosurgery.
  6. He graduated from medical school in 1996-97. Medical school I graduated in 1996-97.
  7. He graduated from Ayub Medical College. I was a graduate of Ayub Medical College at the same time, yes.
  8. He specialized in neurosurgery at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). I specialized from PIMS, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
  9. He trained with his supervisor, a professor, from 1999 to 2004. Professor Khaliq-uz-Zaman mere supervisor the, unke saath maine training ki from 99 to 2004.
  10. He received a scholarship from a world neurosurgery federation. I got a scholarship from the World Federation of Neurosurgery and then I went for my microvascular neurosurgery to Japan, Nagoya, Japan.
  11. He trained for one year in microvascular neurosurgery in Nagoya, Japan. I went for my microvascular neurosurgery to Japan, Nagoya, Japan. Wahan maine ek saal training ki in microvascular neurosurgery.
  12. After training he returned to Ayub Medical College, and he is now a professor and head of neurosurgery at Ayub Teaching Hospital. Then I came back to Ayub Medical College and now I am a professor and head of neurosurgery at Ayub Teaching Hospital.
  13. As medical director he looks after the clinical care of patients. I look after the clinical care of the patients.
  14. The faculty, trainees and medical officers come under him as medical director. So the faculty and the young doctors jitne bhi hain, trainees aur medical officers they come under me
  15. He says eight neurosurgeons have qualified and eight more are in training. aath neurosurgeons qualify kar chuke hain aur abhi aath mazeed train kar rahe hain.
  16. He says 1,130 to 1,200 surgeries are performed annually. hum 1130 surgeries to 1200 surgeries annually karte hain.
  17. He says about 70% of roughly 1,100 of those surgeries are trauma cases. To is 1100 mein se aapko main bataun ke 70% is trauma.
  18. He argues that mandatory helmets would prevent many head injuries. Ab dekhein na agar hum helmet pehna lein, mandatory kar dein yeh sab kuch to prevention is there.
  19. He says doctors of his generation worked 36 hours straight on call. we used to work like hamare zamane mein 36 hours straight on call hote the hum.
  20. He says commitment and dedication were greater in the past and have declined with time. us waqt us waqt commitment aur dedication zyada thi. Ab woh with the time kam hoti ja rahi hai.
  21. He says health is a service that never stops, so doctors must be passionate about it. You have to be passionate about your profession. Right. And health is a service. Yeah. And services never stop.
  22. He says that at the end of the day you have to physically see the patient. It's nice to have. Dekhein har cheez mein at the end of the day you have to physically see the patient.
  23. He says a diagnosis is a sum of three things, starting with the patient's history. Diagnosis jo hota hai na is a sum of three things. What you talk to the patient is the history of the patient.
  24. He says neurosurgery has changed greatly, with minimally invasive and endoscopic surgery. neurosurgery toh bahut zyada revolutionise hui hai. Dekhein minimally invasive surgery aa gayi hai, endoscopic surgery aa gayi hai
  25. He says single-beam high-frequency radiation is used for tumours smaller than 3 cm. Single beam high frequency radiation hoti hai for tumours less than 3 cm in size.
  26. He says a lot of work is now being done on stem cells. abhi stem cell pe bahut zyada kaam ho raha hai.
  27. He says there are multiple systems running, unlike the NHS or the US, where there is a single insurance system. So there are multiple systems going on. It is not like NHS aur yeh US mein jahan pe ek insurance system hai.
  28. He says health and affording health are both very big challenges in Pakistan. Health basically in Pakistan is a challenge and affording health is also a very big challenge.
  29. He says the government pays the hospital back through an insurance system. government phir through the insurance system hamein pay back karti hai.
  30. He says until recently 79% of treatment was still paid out of pocket. pehle tak 79% treatment phir bhi out of pocket thi
  31. He says many services are free at public sector hospitals. Public sector hospital mein bahut saari services free mil jaati hain.
  32. He says public health is the most neglected system in the country. Public health is the most neglected system in this country.
  33. He says a rational distribution of health services is lacking. rational distribution of health services is not there.
  34. He says preventive medicine is not being worked on enough. Ehtiyat jo hai woh hum hum preventive medicine pe nahi kaam kar rahe na.
  35. He says typhoid, cholera and diarrhoea are obsolete diseases that still exist in Pakistan. Typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, yeh saari cheezein obsolete diseases hain jo ke yahan pe Pakistan mein abhi bhi exist kar rahi hain.
  36. He says Pakistan does little research, and he links this to too few doctors and too many new medical colleges. Hum we are not into research in Pakistan. Right. Uski wajah yeh hai ke doctors hain bahut kam, medical colleges to bahut saare ban gaye hain.
  37. He says Abbottabad has four medical colleges. Abbottabad jaise shehar mein chaar medical colleges hain
  38. He says a system is planned in which medical graduates must take an exit exam after passing their final year MBBS exam. ek system introduce karna chaah rahe hain ke aap beshak MBBS aap final year ke exam pass kar lein lekin aapne ek exit exam dena hai.
  39. He says the plan is to bring all medical colleges under one umbrella to improve their quality. jitne bhi medical colleges hain unko ek umbrella ke under laake unki quality ko improve kiya jaye.
  40. He says health education should be standardised across medical colleges. Asal baat yeh honi chahiye ke aap health education ko itna standardize kar dein
  41. He says doctors work for two or three years and then leave. obviously woh doctors do teen saal tak to kaam karenge, uske baad woh wahan se nikal jaate hain.
  42. He says the biggest dilemma in the country is that people cannot afford treatment. Is mulk ka sabse bada dilemma yeh hai, people cannot afford the treatment.
  43. He says patients come to Ayub Teaching Hospital from Gilgit. patient hamare paas ab Ayub Teaching Hospital mein Gilgit se all down drain karta hai hamare paas.
  44. He says people in Pakistan expect doctors to work miracles, which has led to attacks on doctors. Pakistan mein we expect the doctor to be running miracles and jiski wajah se we are seeing attacks on doctors
  45. He says medical ethics requires doctors to tell patients everything about their care. medical ethics yeh kehti hai ke jo patient hai, he should be told and briefed about each and everything.
  46. He says he prefers telling a patient directly when the patient has a brain tumour. if a patient has a brain tumour, I prefer talking to the patient.
  47. He says families often become offended when a patient is told the diagnosis. Lekin family badi offended ho jati hai ke nahi aapne patient ko kyun bataya?
  48. He says that as a nation, people do not like to accept reality. As a nation we don't like to live in reality, accept reality and acknowledge reality.
  49. He says most patients reach him at an end stage of their condition. patient us condition mein hamare paas aate hain zyada tar when they are in end stage
  50. He says patients often wait until they have a neurological deficit before coming to him. Jab tak usko koi neurological deficit nahi ho jata, jab tak uski nazar nahi chali jati, ek side paralyze nahi ho jati, woh hamare paas aata nahi hai.
  51. He says a new DRAP ruling bars doctors from prescribing by brand name. DRAP ne ek nayi ruling pass ki jisme unhone kaha ke ab aap prescribe nahi kar sakte um brands ko.
  52. He says a medicine is counterfeit only when someone makes it at home and sells it. Counterfeit is only if somebody is making it in his home and selling it in the market, that is a counterfeit.
  53. He says Pakistan manufactures medicine but imports its raw materials and salts. Pakistan mein medicine manufacture hoti hai, lekin yahi baat aati hai phir raw material aur salts saare import hote hain Pakistan mein.
  54. He says the machinery for manufacturing is also imported. Aur machinery jo hai woh toh bilkul hi sawal nahi paida hota. Ji, woh bhi saari import ho rahi hai.
  55. He says his younger brother lives in the United States. My my own younger brother is in US.
  56. He says strikes by doctors and hospital shutdowns are not acceptable. going on strikes and cutting down the services and shutting down the hospitals, I think that is not on and isko nahi hona chahiye.
  57. He says he has never taken part in a strike and does not endorse them. Maine aaj tak khud kabhi kisi strike mein hissa nahi liya and I don't endorse it.
  58. He says doctors should not refuse to treat a human being. How can we refuse a human being to be treated?
  59. He says Ayub Teaching Hospital reported its first COVID case on 19 March 2020. Dekhein March 19th, 2020. We had the first reported case of COVID in Ayub Teaching Hospital.
  60. He says the hospital closed elective services in mid-June during the first wave, when it had about 89 patients. in June mid June we had to close down our elective services and we had around 89 patients jo first wave mein the hamare paas.
  61. He says the hospital has had up to 102 patients at one time during COVID. Isi tarah Ayub mein hamare paas 102 tak gaye hain patients.
  62. He says elective services were stopped again so the hospital could create space. Toh abhi humne phir elective services apni band karni padi hain humein. Kyunki we had to create space.
  63. He thinks COVID will remain for another three to four years. I think COVID is going to be there for another three-four years in this world
  64. He says immunity lasts about six to nine months and differs from person to person. kisi mein 9 mahine ho, kisi mein 6 mahine ho, kisi mein 8 mahine ho.
  65. He says vaccinated people can still carry the virus and infect others. You can still carry the virus, you can still infect other people.
  66. He says vaccinated people still need to take precautions. So you have to still practice all those precautions.
  67. He says the vaccines passed safety trials, but long-term side effects are not yet known. Long term trials aur side effects ka toh nahi pata, lekin safety trials mein saari vaccines ne pass ki hai, bahut saari.
  68. He says Sinopharm and Sputnik are equally good and have passed the safety tests. Jo Sinopharm Pakistan mein lag rahi hai ya Sputnik, they are equally good and they have passed the safety tests
  69. He says Pakistan took part in the Sinopharm trials. Inke trials toh Pakistan mein bhi hue the, Sinopharm ke. Hmm. Pakistan was also a part of that.
  70. He says masks could stop up to 80% of transmission if people wore them. Agar hum mask hi pehan lein na, toh iski transmission hum 80% tak rok lenge.
  71. He says he recently had a child. I recently had a kid and I was like, you know, bachon ki vaccination kitni important hai.
  72. He says he has been to 47 countries. I've been to 47 countries.
  73. He says he started travelling young, with his father. I started travelling as young with my father.
  74. He says he was with his father in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in the 1970s and attended an American school there. My father was in Tanzania. Acha. In Dar es Salaam, back in the 70s. Right. So I was with him and I went to an American school over there.
  75. He says he travelled across Africa with his father. I travelled all across Africa with my father.
  76. He says he goes tracking in remote parts of Pakistan where people do not go. I've been doing tracking a lot in Pakistan to areas where people don't go.
  77. He says travel broadens the horizon and gives a vision of life. travelling is something which broadens your horizon and it gives you a vision into life.
  78. He says Pakistan's average life expectancy is 61 years. Pakistan ki average life expectancy is 61 years.
  79. He says healthy living is a personal choice. You want to live a healthy life and walk out that is up to you
  80. He says Pakistan is still confused and has no clear direction. Abhi tak I think we are still a directionless nation and we are still very confused ki humne kya karna hai.
  81. He says Pakistan can change and succeed if it becomes focused and disciplined. Agar hum focused ho gaye, agar hum disciplined ho gaye, toh definitely we can bring a change in this country