Description

Pakistan had to face many problems just after its birth. Health was one of the them and become more acute in the absence of trained personnel. The female doctor-patient ratio become alarming low. As few as 121 register female doctors left 118 in the west wing and 3 in the east wing giving a ration of about one woman doctor to 3.7 lakh of woman. Nurse patient ratio was even worse. Pakistan was facing the problem which India faced in 1870-1880. This state affair was a challenge to the female population of the country. The need of an immediate establishment of an institution to train woman for medical profession was acutely felt by the Government.

The two woman medical institution namely Lady Harding Medical College, New Dehli and Woman Christian Medical College at Ludhiana were now in India. At a time when both Pakistan and the west Punjab were in the midst of a severe crisis, for any one to have conceived such a project was really a most remarkable feat of daring Lt. Col. S.M.K. Mallick , then inspector General of Civil Hospitals, west Punjab and Dr. Shujaat Ali who was attached to the King Edward Medical College as Professor of Physiology

devoted their attention to this problem. The Balak Ram Medical College and its allied hospital presented itself as the obvious starting point from which to make a begining to meet this most pressing need. The undertaking of starting a Medical College even in normal times requires much thought, application and hard work. Further it require such large financial commitments that Governments think more then once before according their approval to such a project.. Colonel Mallick and Dr. Shujaat Ali However, found in Miss Fatima Jinnah a supporter whose enthusiasm and encouragement helped them through in the most difficult planning stage the college which was in its infancy stood virtually closed and its premises were abandoned. However Prof. Shujaat Ali with the help and assistance of his other professional colleagues nurtured the idea of setting up a medical institution for producing female doctors and trained them for helping in the health care of the woman folk of this newly established country. It was especially felt that, by virtue of cultural and social setup of a Muslim Society it was much needed requirement of the time.

With this laudable objective in view of Prof. Shujaat Ali moved for obtaining the approval of Quaid-e-Azam for giving the institution name after the name of his sister Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah Medical College for Women, Lahore. Admitted its first batch of 39 students in Oct. 1948 and was then Minister of Pakistan. It was indeed a great occasion for the nation as the first woman medical institution came into being in the country.

The father of the Nation the late Quaid-e-Azam himself gave his blessing and graciously approved the name of his sister to be associated with this institution. At that time, the Honorable Prime Mister of Pakistan and Beghum Liaqat Ali Khan were also in Lahore and when the scheme was placed before them both of them gave it their whole hearted support. They showed their keen interest in the project by undertaking an inspection of the BALAK Ram Medical College and Sir Ganga Ram hospital and having been convinced of the feasibility of ht scheme extended their full support. The inspector General of Civil Hospital was called to Karachi to discuss the scheme with honorable Mr. Pirzada Abdus Sattar the Minister of Health. Pakistan and the honorable Mr. Ghulam Muhammad, the Finance Minister of Pakistan Later on. Mr. Pirzada Abdul Sattar took an opportunity to come to Lahore to see things for himself and the scheme was sanctioned by the Provincial and central Government in March. 1948. Seven month after independence the provisional Government of West Punjab played its proper role. But for their unqualified backing, the scheme would not have matured. They appointed Dr. Shujaat Ali to prepare a detailed scheme and programme of work to give a practical shape to the proposals. As soon as his scheme was ready, it was placed before colonel M.A Jaffery the Director General of Medical Services, (Pakistan) who endorse the plan the scheme was accepted by the Punjab Government with the permission of his Excellency Sir Francis Mudie the Governor of the West Punjab whose Government took the initiative in organizing the first and at that time the only Medical College for Women in the Muslim World. They agreed to meet 50% of the capital as well as recurring costs. The scheme to establish Women Medical College was approved in March, 1948. Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah was appointed as Patern-in-Chief of the college by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Fatima Jinnah Medical College admitted its first batch of 39 Students and started functioning in October 1948. Formal opening ceremony was performed by his Excellency Alhaj Khawaja Nazimuddin Governor General of Pakistan on Wednesday the 30th March 1949 at 10:00 a.m. Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah visited F.J. Medical College in 1949 and then 1950.

In 1948 when the college was taken over by the Punjab Government, the Anatomy and Physiology departments were complete with Laboratories and equipment. The rest of the departments were housed in the old building. The administrative block was constructed in 1951. Departments of Pathology and Pharmacology were added in 1952. In 1965 department of Preventive Medicine was built which also accommodated the department of Forensic Medicine till 1985, when a separate department was built. In 1972 the College Library, the department of Histology, the Anatomy Museum and Hematology department’s were added. In 1968 a separate Biochemistry department came into being.

Since then FJMC has been training female students not only from Pakistan but the entire Muslim World other friendly countries and children of expertise Uptil now 8500 students have graduated.