Razia Rahimtoola (Urdu: رضیہ جعفررحمۃاللہ; born Razia A. K. Gul-Mohammad in Bombay on 29 August 1919; died 13 November 1988 in Karachi) was a Chair of Pediatrics Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Karachi.[1] She was the first woman to be elected a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.[2]
Professor Razia Rahimtoola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 29 August 1919 |
| Died | 13 November 1988 |
| Education | MBBS, FCRP, FCPS, DCH |
| Alma mater | Grant Medical College |
| Occupation(s) | Pediatrician, Physician |
| Known for | Chair of Pediatrics Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre |
Education and career
editShe graduated M.B.B.S. from Grant Medical College in 1942 followed by which she worked as house physician for six months in J.J. Hospital Bombay.
She was then commissioned in the I.M.S/L.A.M.C. and rose to the rank of acting Major functioning as a graded physician. Following partition of the sub-continent in 1947 she resigned from the commission and proceeded to the United Kingdom for postgraduate studies. She secured her D.C.H. London in 1951 followed by M.R.C.P. Edinburgh in 1953.[2] During her stay in the United Kingdom she also worked as Senior House Officer and Senior Registrar in South Wales.
Upon return to Pakistan in 1953 Dr. Rahimtoola was appointed as Assistant Professor of Medicine, Dow Medical College and Associate Physician, Civil Hospital, Karachi.[3] It was during this period (1962) that she qualified for a Fulbright Grant and hence received training in Pediatrics Cardiology under Helen Tausiq at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, United States.
Towards the end of 1963 Dr. Razia was appointed in Pediatrics at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre Karachi.[1] She was awarded the F.R.C.P. in 1964. Following retirement of Prof. Hamid M. Khan in 1972 she was selected as Chair of Pediatrics, JPMC. During this period she was also conferred Fellowship by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan. She was also conferred the gold medal by the President of Pakistan for her contributions towards Child Health and Pediatrics.[4]
Research and publications
editRazia Rahimtoola was involved in publication works which covered subjects in General Medicine and Pediatrics including Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy, post-vaccinial encephalomyelitis tuberculosis meningitis, amoebiasis, scleroderma, Congenital abnormalities in the new-born,[5] Thalassaemia and other hematological disorders in children, Cerebral Palsy in children, Perinátal mortality etc. published in Pakistani Journals and International journals such as Acta Paediatrica. Dr Rahimtoola devoted her time to under nutrition and malnutrition in children in Khudadad Colony, Mahmudabad, Karachi with some assistance from the Pakistan Medical Research Council and published her findings. She was a contributor to Ilyas and Ansari's Text Book on Community Medicine and to the Text Book of Pediatrics for Developing Countries edited by Wasti, Arif and Hanif. Her most monumental work is a tome on Pediatrics which she had edited and prepared with the help of many collaborators.[6]
Accolades
editRazia Rahimtoola was noted as a 'teacher to remember' for her detailed studies on infant and child nutrition.[7]
Professor Rahimtoola was described as a 'jewel' for her work towards humanity and the medical profession in general.
Personal life
editShe was married to a lawyer based out of Karachi. They did not have any children. She died after a difficult illness.
Her father in law, Hoosenaly Rahimtoola was a well known Legislator of the Bombay Presidency in British India.
Awards
edit- Gold Medal for contributions to Pediatrics by President of Pakistan[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Grants for Scientific Research" (PDF). Islamia University.
- ^ a b "This week 50 years ago: Long-distance marriage". DAWN.com. Peerzada Salman. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
- ^ "Dow Medical College class of 1960". 18 November 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
- ^ "History of Paediatrics in Pakistan" (PDF). PJMHS. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
- ^ Jonxis, J. H. P.; Visser, H. K. A.; Troelstra, J. A. (6 December 2012). Metabolic Processes in the Foetus and Newborn Infant. Springer. ISBN 9789401029513. Retrieved 23 August 2016 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Obituary". JPMA. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
- ^ "Razia Rahimtoola was noted as a 'teacher to remember'" (PDF).
- ^ "Obituary Prof. Razia J.Rahimtoola" (PDF). Journal of Pakistan Medical Association. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
Further reading
edit- Jonxis, J. H. P.; Visser, H. K. A.; Troelstra, J. A. (6 December 2012). Book: Metabolic Processes in the Foetus and Newborn Infant. Springer. ISBN 9789401029513. Retrieved 23 August 2016 – via Google Books.
- "Illustrated Weekly of Pakistan". Google Books. April 1963. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
- "Pakistan Journal of Applied Economics". Google Books. 1984. Retrieved 23 August 2016.