PROFESSOR DR. MUHAMMAD AFZAL FAROOQI

( 23/03/1953  TO  06/10/2014)

Prof. Dr. M. Afzal Farooqi  was  born  in  Distt. Hafizabad  on  23^rd March  1953. He  did  his  MBBS  from  King Edward Medical College, Lahore  in  November 1976  and  FRCS  from  Royal College of Edinburgh, UK  in  January  1982. He  started  his  career  at  King Edward Medical College, Lahore  till  August  1983  when  he  came  to  Rawalpindi Medical College  as  Assistant Professor  and  Head  of Urology Dept. The  Urology  department  at  RMC  was  practically  non-existent  both  in terms  of  staff  as  well  as  infrastructure. Prof. Farooqi  struggled  day  and  night  to  get  a  proper  ward  for  Urology dept., recruit  staff, create  seats  and  procure  equipment  for  the  department. Due  to  his  tireless  efforts  the  department  was  shifted  to  its  current  location  with  its  own  state of the art operation  theatres, dialysis  unit  and  lithotripsy  suit. The  dialysis  unit  alone  catered  8000  dialyses  per  annum. He  was  promoted  as  Associate  Professor  in  1991  and  Professor  in  1996.  It  was  his  efforts  that  the  Punjab  Govt. sanctioned  the  purchase  of  Extra Corporeal Shockwave Lithotripter (ESWL)  from France in  1998.

He  supervised  many  candidates  in  their  post graduate training  all  of  whom  now  hold  the  reins  of  Urology Dept. at RMC as  senior  consultants. He  not  only  got  his  department  accredited  for  FCPS  Urology,  but  also  was  the  first  to  bring  MS/MD  programme  in  RMC  when  he  got  the  Urology  Dept. RMC  recognized  for  MS Urology (UHS) training. He  was  Convener  and  Examiner  for  FCPS  Urology  and  examiner  for  MS  Urology  in  Punjab  University  Lahore  and  Quaid e Azam University  Islamabad. He  was  secretary  general  and  instrumental  in  organizing  the  First  International  Scientific  Conference  of  RMC  in  1998. He  was  awarded  FCPS  Urology  in 2003  in  recognition  of  his  services  to  the  profession. He  was  a  member of  Société Internationale d’Urologie (SIU)  and  the  Founder President of Pakistan Association of Urological Surgeons (PAUS) (Rwp/Isb Chapter). He  served  as  Principal  of  Rawalpindi Medical College & Allied Hospitals  from  16/03/2010 to 12/01/2012  and  29/11/2012  to  12/03/2013. During  his  tenure  as  Principal, he  not  only  looked  after  the  planning  and  construction  of  Rawalpindi

 Institute  of  Cardiology  but  also  planned and designed  Rawalpindi  Institute of Urology & transplantation  which is first of its nature  in Punjab & only second in Pakistan. He  got  RMC  recognized  for  350  MBBS  admissions  from  PMDC  and  also  got  approval  for  four  new  lecture  theatres. In  2011, the  female  students  felt  extreme  difficulty  due  to  acute  shortage  of  hostel  accommodation, partly  caused  by  a  state  institution (NAB),  who  had  occupied  half  of  the  girls  hostel  since  11 years. Prof. Farooqi  felt the  pain  of  the  students  and  led  a  massive  campaign  which  also  led  to  involvement  of  the  Prime Minister  and  the  Supreme  Court  but  finally  resulted  in  RMC  getting  back  control  of  its  girls hostel.

Prof. Dr. M. Afzal  Farooqi  left for heavenly abode on 6^th October 2014, on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha. He lives on in the hearts and memories of many especially his family, friends, colleagues, students and patients. His  is  remembered  most  by  his  quote  which  summarizes  his  struggle : “I came to this institution with a broken cystoscope and I leave with a state-of-the-art Institute of Urology” (Prof. Farooqi, in his Farewell speech during RMC annual dinner, March,2013)