150TH ANNIVERSARY OF KING EDWARD MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, LAHORE COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP August 28, 2012 (2012-16)

In the year 1857, the idea of a medical school for the undivided Punjab was placed before the Imperial Government.In 1860, Dr. J.B. Scriven became the first Principal of the proposed Lahore Medical School. It started functioning in Artillery Barracks at the present site of the Government College. This was the second college in Hindustan, the first was built in Calcutta. Matriculation examination was taken by the Principal of the Lahore Medical School as an entry examination to be the medical student. A 60 bedded hospital was attached with this medical school. This hospital was situated in the foreign stables near Tibbi police station, Taxali Gate Lahore. In 1868 the Senate of the Universitty of Dublin granted students of the Lahore Medical School "privilege similar to the granted to students from English Schools".

The present famous Mayo Hospital building was completed in 1870, on an area of 52.2 Acres, and was named after the Earl of Mayo.

With the opening of Punjab University in 1870, the responsibility of conducting exams was entrusted to the University. Training of hospital assistants and assistant surgeons was started in 1879. Training for Dai's was started in 1882 and Nursing school was started in 1883. This institution came to be known as the Lahore Medical College in 1886.

The foundation stone of the Mayo Hospital extension as part of the King Edward VII Memorial Fund was Laid on the 21st of December, 1911. Since that time, the Lahore Medical College came to be known as King Edward Medical College. The K.E.M.C. comprised:

(a) Patiala Block: administrative offices, a large library cum examination hall, four lecture theatres, a museum, a council room and common rooms for staff and students.

(b) Bahawalpur Block: the Pathology Department on the ground floor and the Physiology Department on the first floor each with a lecture theatre, practical classrooms, work rooms, etc.

(c) Faridkot Block: a complete unit for teaching Anatomy.

(d) Kapurthala Block: the Department of Materia Medica.

(e) A cold storage block with separate Pathology and medico legal postmortem theatres.

The Government Hospital for women and children was officialy opened by the Countess of Willington in 1933 and named after her. MBBS degree was recognized by GMC of England in 1936. This year BDS classes were introduced and first issue of KEMCOL was published.

During the Second World War, the Principal organized a Medical College Ambulance Corps. However, it was 1947, when under the supervision of stalwarts like Colonel llahi Bakhsh, Riaz-e-Qadeer and Sardar Ali Sheikh that the students worked selflessly to attend the down-trodden people who had migrated from India.

After the creation of Pakistan, Colonel Ilahi Bakhsh was appointed the first Principal of KEMC. It was the vision of the Col. Ilahi Bukhsh and succeeding Principals that new departments and chairs were created as the years passed by, in the field of operative surgery, ENT, Clinical, Midwifery, Anesthesia, Cardiology., Thoracic Surgery, Neurology, Dermatology, Orthopedic and Pediatrics. Recent additions, Plastic Surgery department started in 1989 and Maxillofacial surgery started functioning in 1997.

College of Ophthalmology and Allied Vision Science (COAVS) was established in 2004 and is imparting education in 9 new courses in ophthalmology, COAVS has now been recognized nationally and internationally in the field of eye health. Postgraduate courses lead to the following Diplomas.

M.D., M.S. D.M.R.E., D.T.C.D. D.L.O., D.A.M.S., D.A, D.C.P. D.M.R.T., D.M.R.D., D.G.O., F.C.P.S.

The Islamic Summit Conference took place in Lahore in 1974 and the staff of King Edward Medical College, gave round the Clock Medical Care to the visiting, heads of the States. In December 1976 King Edward Medical College hosted a National Teachers Convention.

Prof. Mumtaz Hassan became the Principal of KEMC in the year 1999. It was due to his efforts that King Edward Medical College was upgraded to the level of the university. This historic event of formation of King Edward Medical University took place on 12th May 2005 when the Act of the Establishment of King Edward Medical University was passed. The Notification was issued on 7th January 2006 by the orders of the Governor of Punjab and Prof. Mumtaz Hassan was appointed as acting Vice Chancellor of this second oldest institute of the subcontinent.

Prof. M. Zafarullah Khan was appointed the second acting vice chancellor of the university and he continued his efforts to establish this institution.

After the retirement of Prof. M. Zafarullah Khan, Prof. Asad Aslam Khan (Sitara-i-Imtiaz), the Pro-Vice Chancellor, has entrusted with the duties of Vice Chancellor of King Edward Medical University. Under his leadership following landmarks has been achieved: (i). The Dead Project of Strengthening of KEMU sponsored by HEC was made live by contributing funds from the own resources from the University which is at the final stage of completion. (ii) An Animal House has been established to stimulate the state of the art research facilities.

(iii) Students Facilitation Area has been developed to cater to the needs of the

Kemcolians, (v) Advanced Lab. & Diagnostic Centre has been established which has upgraded teaching, research and diagnostic facilities by many folds on the one hand and will not only provide all types diagnostic facilities to the public at large at affordable rates but will also serve as source of generating own resources for the KEMU.

The Kind Edward Medical University is offering the following programs.

1). Undergraduate Programs:

MBBS, DPT (Doctor of Physiotherapy), B.Sc. (Vision Sciences), B.Sc. (Allied Health Sciences in 20 disciplines), B.Sc. (Nursing), TDP. (Transition Doctors of Physiotherapy)

ii). Postgraduate Programs:

i). Diploma programs in 20 Disciplines

ii). M.Phil (Basic Sciences) in 14 Disciplines

iii). iv). M.D. (Medicine and allied Specialties ) in 20 Disciplines M.S. (Surgery and allied specialties) in 20 Disciplines

v). MDS (Dental Surgery) in 5 Disciplines

vi). FCPS/MRCP (Training in all specialties)

iii). Doctoral Programs (Ph.D)

i) Doctoral Program in 16 Discipline.

The University is determined and vigorously putting the best efforts to make KEMU the State of the Art Institution to enable it to achieve its core objective viz, to part, improve and upgrade teaching, medical and diagnostic facilities and stimulate innovation through research.

On the occasion of 150th Anniversary of King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan Post is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs.8/- denomination on August 28, 2012.