The past presidents of the Pakistan Medical Association of South Australia have played pivotal roles in shaping the direction and policies of the organisation, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise to their tenure.
From Left To Right; Dr Abdul Qayyum Aslam,, Dr Zakaria Baig, Dr Zafar Usmani, Dr Rizwan Latif, Dr Ayaz Aslam, Dr Rehan Hassan
In 2010, Dr. Zakaria Baig proposed the creation of a medical association to represent healthcare professionals of Pakistani background in South Australia. With the growing number of Pakistani healthcare professionals arriving in the region, there was a clear need for an organization to support them. These professionals often faced cultural shock, social isolation, and needed guidance in both professional and personal matters, particularly regarding orientation to the Australian Healthcare System. At that time, no such representative body existed.
Dr Baig discussed this idea with senior colleagues, including Dr Abdul Qayyum Aslam, Dr Farooq Ahmad, Dr Rizwan Latif, Dr Tariq Raheem, and Dr Muhamad Tajdar. This collaboration led to the establishment of the Pakistani Medical Association, South Australia, Inc. (PMASA) in 2011. The objectives of PMASA include:
The constitution of PMASA was established in 2011, led by Dr. Abdul Qayyum Aslam, assisted by Dr. Zakaria Baig, and reviewed by Dr. Azher Saeed. The first gala dinner was held at the Hilton Hotel on Saturday, September 8, 2012. Regular newsletters, led by Dr. Zafar Usmani and first published by Abbot Printers in 2013, along with annual picnics and cricket matches, were organized as social events.
Key milestones include:
Meetings were initially held in the homes of senior executive members, where dinners were catered, and children, including Mahanoor Baig, took minutes.
