Consultant & Head of Dept	Prof. Abid Z. Farooqi, FRCPI
	Phones: 051-9260112; 9261170 ext 2530
	Residence: 12 Chaklala Scheme 1, Rawalpindi Phone: 051-5592464
	Out-Patient Clinics: Tuesday & Thursday Ward Rounds:           Monday & Friday
	Private Practice: 1st Floor Eagle Plaza, Fazal-ul-Haq Road Blue Area, Islamabad Phone:  051-2278928 Email:  afarooqi@dsl.net.pk
Associate Professor of Rheumatology	Dr. Wajahat Aziz, FCPS, MRCP(UK)
	Phones: 051-9260112;  9261170 ext 2530
	Out-Patient Clinics:  Monday & Friday Ward Rounds:         Tuesday & Thursday
	Private Practice: Khayal Plaza (above Islamabad Diagnostic Centre) Near Ali Medical Centre F-8 Markaz, Islamabad Phone:  0333-5130994 Email: wajahataziz@hotmail.com
Clinical Nurse Specialist	Mrs. Ayisha Ghufran, B.Sc
	Phone:  051-9261170 ext 2443 Email:  ayishag@yahoo.com
Physiotherapist	Mrs. Samira Malik
	Phone: 051-9261170 ext 2218
	Email: samiramalikpk@hotmail.com
Physiotherapist	Mr. Saqlain Shah
	Phone:  051-9261170 ext 2218 Email:  baqir158@hotmail.com

Muhammad Shabbir, Receptionist	OPD Waiting Area
Muhammad Majeed, Department Secretary	Physiotherapy Session

SERVICES

Rheumatology 

A small, but well-organized department offering a comprehensive range of services for rheumatic diseases. Emphasis is placed on proper record-keeping and ensuring minimum inconvenience to patients who generally need long-term follow up. We specialize in dealing with all sort of musculoskeletal aches and pains along with potentially fatal connective tissue diseases including all sorts of vasculatures. The department has more than fifteen international publications to its credit. 

The Rheumatology department is fully computerized and integrated with the Hospital Management Information System of PIMS. 

Out-patient services are organized on a two-tier level. The ‘Filter Clinic’ is the first contact point for all patients. Patients are seen in turn by one of the Medical Officers who does an initial assessment, organizes investigations (if needed) and arranges an appointment for the patient to be seen by either the Consultant or the Registrar at a later date. If the patient turns up on the appointed date and time, he / she is ensured of the complete attention by an experienced doctor and thus get the best possible medical help. We respect the privacy of each patient and hence only one patient is allowed to be present in the doctor’s room at one time. In case the patient misses his / her appointment and turns up at another time, he / she is seen in the Filter Clinic once again and another appointment arranged with the consultant at a later date. If at any time, the doctor in the Filter Clinic feels the need for a more expert opinion, it is made available by informing the Consultant / Registrar. who then arranges to see the patient the same day. Each given appointment is not only noted in the ‘Appointments Diary’ but also stamped in the patient’s case notes for referral if needed.

 Physiotherapy

 The two physiotherapists work in conjunction with a team of three Physiotherapy Assistants and eight Physiotherapy Technicians. Patients need to be referred by a doctor in order to avail this service. Referrals are taken from all departments and each patient is given an appointment to be seen by one of the Physiotherapists. Once an initial assessment has been made, the Assistants or Technicians are asked to carry out the prescribed treatment for a certain number of sessions. This work is done under the supervision of the Physiotherapists. Patients never have to wait in long queues since each is given an appointment for the next day’s session before he / she leaves the hospital premises.

 Physiotherapy service is provided through a combination of using electro medical equipment as well as proper physical exercises. Unfortunately we do not have access to a proper hydrotherapy service at PIMS. 

Physiotherapists regularly help in the rehabilitation of admitted patients as well whenever a call is sent for their help. It helps a lot if the reason for referral is properly mentioned and a logical case be made for asking such assistance.

 Facilities

 In-patient facilities for rheumatology patients are available in Medical ward 5.. Consultant rounds take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The ward has 12 dedicated rheumatology beds and a separate ‘Infusion Room’ meant for administering either pulsed steroid / cyclophosphamide therapies or biologic therapies for different rheumatic diseases. There is a designated room for postgraduate teaching as well.

 Specialist Rheumatology Nurse

 The Rheumatology Clinical Nurse Specialist is the anchor person for coordinating patient services in the outdoor as well as indoor. She also has the important task of providing support and explanation to the patients and being available for advice regarding side-effects and monitoring of the potentially toxic drugs that are used in Rheumatology.

 Research and Academic

 PIMS was the first hospital in Pakistan to offer a specialized rheumatology service. This department has been on the fore front of efforts at accredited postgraduate training for this specialty in Pakistan. It is with a lot of pride that we announce the start of the first such training programme in Pakistan. Two postgraduate trainees will be inducted each year for a two-year training programme in Rheumatology. Only those who already possess the qualification of FCPS (Medicine) are eligible to apply for this specialized training. The first batch has been inducted in July 2009. This process will continue at annual intervals.

 Publications: 

1.      Ahmed TA, Malik IA, Khan AA, Shah STA, Hameed A, Haleem SA, Farooqi A, Amin SJ. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) in Pakistani patients with systemic vasculitides. J Pak Med Assoc 1994; 44: 272-5.

2.      Ahmed TA, Malik IA, Saleem M, Khan Ashfaq A, Hameed A, Shah STA, Amin SJ, Farooqi A. Antibodies to the extractable nuclear antigens (ENA) in Pakistani patients with systemic rheumatic disease. J Pak Med Assoc 1995; 45: 12-4.

3.      Farooqi A. Chronic abdominal sepsis and migratory polyarthritis (letter). Brit J Rheum 1995; 34: 478-9.

4.      Farooqi AZ, Nasir-ud-Din, Aman R, Qamar T, Aziz S. Corticosteroid use and abuse by medical practitioners for arthritis and related disorders in Pakistan. Brit J Rheum 1997; 36: 91-4.

5.      Nasir-ud-Din, Farooqi AZ. Rheumatoid arthritis in northern Pakistan: manifestations and disability. APLAR J Rheum 1997; 1: 15-7.

6.      Farooqi AZ. Fever and connective tissue diseases. Inf Dis J Pak 1997; 4: 15-7.

7.      Farooqi AZ, Gibson T. Prevalence of major rheumatic disorders in the adult population of northern Pakistan. Brit J Rheum 1998; 37: 491-5.

8.      Handa R, Farooqi AZ, Haq SA, Wali JP. Wegener’s granulomatosis in the Indian subcontinent. APALR J Rheum 1999; 2: 210-5.

9.      Ahmed TA, Halim A, Farooqi A, Hussain T, Ikram N, Qureshi, et al. Presenting features in Pakistani patients suffering from the antineutrohil cytoplasmic antibody-classical subtype (c-ANCA) associated vasculitis. J Pak Med Assoc 1999; 49; 54-6.

10.  Farooqi AZ, Gibson T. Rheumatic diseases: disability and provision of care in northern Pakistan. APLAR J Rheum 1999; 3: 314-7.

11.  Kung AWC, Chao H, Huang K, Need AG, Taechakraichana N, Loh F, Gonzaga F, Siriram U, Nik Ismail NMN, Farooqi A, Rachman IA, Crans GG, Wong M, Thiebaud D. Efficacy and Safety of Raloxifene 60 Milligrams/Day in Postmenopausal Asian Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003; 88(7): 3130–3136.

12.  Tanwir Khaliq, Anjum Khawar, S. Aslam Shah, Ansar Mehboob, Abid Farooqui. Unilateral Exploration for Primary Hyperparathyroidism. JCPSP 2003, 13(10):588-591.

13.  Naseer M. Akhter, Rizwan Naseer, Abid Z. Farooqi, Wajahat Aziz, Mussadeq Nazir. Oral enzyme combination versus diclofenac in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee – a double blind prospective randomised study. Clin Rheumatol 2004 23: 410-415.

14.  Das SK, Farooqi A. Osteoarthritis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2008 Aug;22(4):657-75.

15.  AZ Farooqi. Guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis beyond the first two years. J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2009: 39: 140-1

1.    Jamal Zafar, Wajahat Aziz and Muhammad Afzal. Severe recurrent anaemia in a 50-year-old man: a common problem with an uncommon association; a case report and review of literature. JPIMS.Vol. 7, No. 1, 476-478. 1996.

2. W. Aziz, D. B. Yates. Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy associated with bacterial endocarditis. Rheumatology 1999 38:375-377.

3.  Wajahat Aziz, Jamal Zafar, Sohail Aziz. Periodic paralysis – an unusual complication of poorly controlled Diabetes Mellitus. JPIMS. Vol.7, No.2, 547-49. 1997.

4.  Naseer M Akhthar, Rizwan Naseer, Abid Z Farooqi, Wajahat Aziz, Mussadeq Nazir. Oral enzyme combination versus Diclofenac in the treatment of Osteoarthritis of the knee – a double-blind prospective randomized study. Clin. Rheumatology (2004) 23:410-415. DOI 10.1007/s10067-004-0902-y

5.  Wajahat Aziz. Efficacy of non selective non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 29 cases of osteoarthritis – a Pakistani experience. Annals of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. Vol. 3(1), 24-26. 2007

6.  Wajahat Aziz, Abid Farooqi and Mohammad Arif. Side effects of a non selective non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in 29 cases of osteoarthritis – a Pakistani experience. Annals of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. Vol. 3(1), 27-29. 2007

7.  Wajahat Aziz, Saqib Hasan Baig. The Current Pattern of Disease 
     Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs Use in Patients Suffering from 
     Rheumatoid Arthritis. Annals of  Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
     Vol. 4(1), 46-49. 2008.