Paediatrician Suhail Naik is doctors’ association chief

Tribune News Service

Srinagar October 20

After a delay of seven years, the Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) elected its central executive body with paediatrician Dr Suhail Naik bagging the president’s post.

Naik, who received 2,040 votes, defeated his opponent Dr Muhammad Yousuf Tak by 570 votes.

Naik (35) has been actively involved in student politics during his MBBS days at Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS), Jammu. He was vice president of Junior Doctors Association (JDA) at Government Medical College, Srinagar, for three years from 2009. “As JDA leader, he (Naik) played a vital role in the fight of junior resident doctors for removing their pay anomaly with their counterparts in other medical institutions,” said senior anaesthesiologist Dr Masood Rashid.

Naik was instrumental in the upgrade of healthcare policies at the Kashmir’s lone children hospital, GB Pant, which was facing the issue of rising infant mortality rate from 2009.

The DAK came into existence in 2002 when Dr Khalid Parvez was elected its first president. However, elections could not happen due to various reasons since 2008.

“It was for the first time that such a huge democratic exercise was carried out with massive participation from across the valley,” said Chief Election Commissioner for DAK elections Dr Saleem Bhat.

Nearly one dozen associations of the doctors participated in the elections.

Dr Mir Waseem was elected senior vice president while Dr Mir Muhammad Ashraf and Dr Sajad Qanango were elected vice presidents.

Dr Irfan has been elected as vice president from the RDA quota of the GMC, Srinagar; Dr Owais Dar has been elected general secretary, Dr Irshad Muntazir as chief spokesperson and Dr Imtiyaz Banday as spokesperson.

Dr Masood-ul-Hassan is now the media and publicity secretary, Dr Arif Khawaja is the social media incharge and Dr Chaudhary Muzaffar is central executive member.