Pakistan mourns Dr. Naseem Salahuddin, iconic infectious diseases specialist

KARACHI: Pakistan’s medical community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Dr. Naseem Salahuddin, one of the country’s most respected infectious diseases specialists, who passed away after sustaining critical injuries in a road traffic accident in Morocco. Her death has triggered an outpouring of grief from doctors, researchers, students, public health experts, and patients whose lives were touched by her decades of service and compassion.

Her brother, renowned Pakistani physicist and scientist Pervez Hoodbhoy, confirmed the news on Friday, saying he was deeply shocked by the tragedy.

According to family sources, Dr. Naseem Salahuddin had traveled to Morocco to attend a World Health Organization-related meeting when the accident occurred. She reportedly underwent multiple surgeries after the incident but could not survive her injuries.

For generations of doctors in Pakistan, Dr. Naseem Salahuddin was not merely a physician — she was an institution in herself. Widely regarded as a pioneer of infectious diseases medicine in Pakistan, she dedicated her life to treating patients, mentoring young physicians, advancing medical research, and strengthening public health systems in a country burdened by infectious illnesses.

A graduate of Fatima Jinnah Medical College in 1967, Dr. Salahuddin later earned Board Certification in Internal Medicine in the United States in 1977, followed by a Fellowship in Infectious Diseases. At a time when infectious diseases was barely recognized as a dedicated specialty in Pakistan, she emerged as one of the few experts in the field and went on to build the discipline almost from the ground up.

After returning to Pakistan, she played a transformative role in shaping infectious diseases education and clinical care nationwide. She introduced Pakistan’s Infectious Diseases fellowship program, founded the country’s professional Infectious Diseases society, and helped establish an Infectious Diseases journal, paving the way for future generations of specialists.

Her work became especially synonymous with Pakistan’s fight against rabies, tuberculosis, HIV, and antimicrobial resistance. She was internationally recognized for her relentless efforts against rabies, a neglected but deadly disease that continues to claim lives in Pakistan every year.

Having joined Indus Hospital & Health Network in 2007, Dr. Salahuddin built and led some of Pakistan’s most important infectious disease initiatives. Under her leadership, the Rabies Prevention Program at Indus Hospital became a nationally recognized center, treating more than 30,000 dog-bite patients in 2023 alone. She also played a key role in introducing the “One Health” concept in Pakistan, linking human, animal, and environmental health to combat infectious diseases more effectively.

Her influence extended far beyond rabies care. She established robust HIV and tuberculosis clinics that provided free and compassionate treatment to vulnerable patients, particularly those who otherwise had little access to specialized healthcare. As a leading researcher, she also served as principal investigator for multinational clinical trials involving multidrug-resistant tuberculosis therapies and Covid-19 vaccines.

In recognition of her unparalleled contributions, Indus Hospital & Health Network awarded her the prestigious title of Professor Emerita in 2024, honoring what colleagues described as a lifetime devoted to “academia and beyond.”

But those who knew Dr. Naseem Salahuddin say her greatest strength was not only her medical brilliance — it was her humanity.

Colleagues and former students remember her as a deeply humble mentor who devoted herself to teaching and uplifting young doctors. Many of her trainees now occupy leading healthcare positions in Pakistan and abroad, carrying forward the values she championed throughout her career: compassion, scientific rigor, and service to humanity.

Beyond medicine, Dr. Salahuddin was also a passionate advocate for education and social uplift. She founded the Citizens’ Education Development Foundation from her own home, helping educate more than 50,000 marginalized children from Karachi’s kachi abadis through home schools and mobile bus schools over three decades. Her initiative empowered thousands of young girls through education, enabling many to become teachers, nurses, and professionals while transforming entire families and communities.

She was also a prolific writer whose books and newspaper articles reflected her intellectual depth, empathy, and observations about society and humanity. Her published works include If Stones Could Speak and Among My Own – The Untold Stories of My People.

In its tribute, Indus Hospital & Health Network described Dr. Naseem Salahuddin as “a beacon of dedication, compassion, and excellence,” saying her wisdom, humility, and unwavering devotion to humanity inspired generations of healthcare professionals.

Her passing marks the end of a remarkable chapter in Pakistan’s medical history. Yet her legacy lives on — in the countless patients she healed, the doctors she mentored, the institutions she built, and the lives she transformed through medicine, education, and public service.

As condolences continue pouring in from across Pakistan and beyond, the nation remembers Dr. Naseem Salahuddin not only as a world-class physician, but as a compassionate humanitarian whose life was devoted to easing suffering and serving humanity with dignity.

May Allah grant her the highest place in Jannah and give strength to her family, colleagues, students, and all those mourning this irreplaceable loss.

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