Pakistan’s medical community is mourning the tragic death of renowned infectious diseases expert Dr Naseem Salahuddin, who lost her life in a road accident in Morocco while attending a World Health Organisation meeting. Her sudden passing has deeply saddened doctors, healthcare workers, students, and public health advocates across the country and abroad.
Dr Salahuddin was widely respected for her lifelong dedication to treating infectious diseases and improving public health in Pakistan. She served as a professor emeritus at Indus Hospital and played a major role in raising awareness about rabies, tuberculosis, and antimicrobial resistance. Medical experts described her as one of the country’s most influential healthcare professionals whose work saved countless lives.
The Indus Hospital & Health Network expressed profound sorrow over her passing, calling her a symbol of compassion, dedication, and excellence in healthcare. The hospital stated that she had been associated with the institution since 2007 and remained committed to providing free and quality healthcare to people in need.
Dr Salahuddin became especially known for her efforts to make Pakistan free from rabies. Through awareness campaigns, patient treatment, and public health advocacy, she helped bring national attention to a serious but often neglected issue. Her work earned recognition both locally and internationally.
Born into a career of service, Dr Salahuddin graduated from Fatima Jinnah Medical College in 1967 and later received internal medicine certification from the United States in 1977. She also served on the World Health Organisation’s Expert Advisory Panel on Rabies since 2004.
Throughout her career, she authored books, contributed to medical journals, and mentored generations of healthcare professionals. Colleagues remember her for her humility, wisdom, and tireless commitment to humanity.
Her death marks a major loss for Pakistan’s healthcare sector, but her legacy of compassion, education, and public service will continue to inspire future doctors and medical researchers for years to come.
