Leading specialist in infectious diseases and professor emeritus at Indus Hospital, Dr. Naseem Salahuddin, has died in a tragic road accident in Morocco, her family said, in a sudden loss that has shocked the medical community.
Dr. Salahuddin, who had recently retired after a long career in the medical service, had traveled to Morocco to attend a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting, according to family sources.
She was widely respected in medical circles for her work on rabies, tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance, with colleagues describing her contributions as essential in shaping the public health response in these areas.
Doctors and health professionals across the country expressed grief and sorrow over her passing.
In a statement released on X, Indus Hospital & Health Network said its board, president, CEO and dean of Indus University of Health Sciences, along with the wider organization, expressed “deep sorrow” over her passing.
The hospital said that Dr. Salahuddin had been associated with the network since 1 November 2007, describing her as “a beacon of dedication, compassion and expertise in healthcare and infectious disease”.
It said her lifelong work in patient care, medical education and humanitarian service strengthened the institution’s mission to provide quality health care free of charge to those in need.
Dr. Salahuddin was also described as a strong public health advocate who played a key role in awareness and efforts towards a rabies-free Pakistan, with the hospital saying her “relentless work in the prevention and treatment of rabies saved countless lives and brought national attention to an often neglected public health challenge”.
The statement added that her wisdom, humility and dedication had inspired colleagues, students and health professionals, leaving a legacy that would continue to guide future generations.
It said condolences and prayers were with her family, colleagues, students and all those she had worked with or dealt with, adding that her legacy of service and compassion would live on in the lives she touched.
She graduated from Fatima Jinnah Medical College in 1967 and later obtained internal medicine certification from USA in 1977.
She had also been a member of the WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on Rabies since 2004.
During her career, she contributed to medical journals and newspapers and authored many books on health and medicine.
