LAHORE: The Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry at the University College of Dentistry (UCD), The University of Lahore (UOL), organised a seminar to highlight the contributions of female healthcare professionals in the wake of women's empowerment in medicine and dentistry and the celebration of Women's Day.
Dr Wajiha Alamgir, Associate Professor and Head of Oral Diagnostics and Oral Pathology Department, UCD, was invited to talk on "BREAKING THE ODDS; Women Empowerment in Medicine and Dentistry". She has been an inspiring senior faculty member at UCD and carried a lot of motivation for her students and colleagues. Dr Wajiha shared her views and, while addressing especially females, encouraged them to do every right thing that makes a woman independent and emphasised that they are not fragile and have to become iron ladies to serve the community. She encouraged the male participants to be supportive of their females too.
Dr Wajiha gives an example of a fragile creature breaking the odds
Further, she gave an example by showing a picture of a plant growing from a brick. She said, " A soft, fragile creature taking life and getting stronger from a hard material at the same time when we only think for the growth of plant some specific conditions and circumstances like fertilised soil, proper seed and adequate water are necessary but this is not true in this case, and a fragile plant is turning into a mature tree and breaking the odds. Hence, women also don't need to be tagged fragile they should have the potential to excel and be independent."
She discusses role models in the field of Medicine & Dentistry
She discussed those women who became the role models by breaking the odds in the field of Medicine and Dentistry, including Dr Lucy Hobbs Taylor (the first female dentist), Dr Dorothy (the first female dental assistant to be employed in the world), Dr Reed (who discovered Reed Sternberg cells), Dr Fatima Jinnah (first female practising dentist in undivided India) and Dr Maj. Gen. Nigar (the first female in Pakistan who was Major General and the first female Commandant in a leading army hospital).
Dr Wajiha encourages women to overcome obstacles
Dr Wajiha stressed that women must be given equal rights in every field. She motivated women to avail opportunities present in our culture and work hard to achieve their aims and goals.
Women are emerging and competing in every field of life nowadays, but the fact still remains that they are still facing problems and have to make much more effort to prove themselves in all domains of life, she said.
Participants agreed and applauded the speaker's views. Prof Riaz Ahmed Warraich, Principal UCD, acknowledged and appreciated Dr Wajiha for her enlightening talk on the topic and lauded the efforts of Dr Arooj ul Hassan, Head of Community & Preventive Dentistry Department, UCD and his department for organising the event.
