Kashmiri Doctor Honoured at World Congress of GI Endoscopy in Seoul

SRINAGAR: Dr Hameed Raina, a gastroenterologist and therapeutic endoscopist from Hussipora, Chadoora in Budgam district, has been awarded the Best Abstract Award at the 4th World Congress of GI Endoscopy (ENDO 2024), held recently in Seoul, South Korea.

The recognition was conferred for Dr Raina’s presentation on “EUS-Guided Liver Biopsy”, a technique he described as a safer and less invasive alternative to traditional liver biopsy methods. The method also allows access to both liver lobes and enables simultaneous evaluation of oesophageal varices, features not possible with conventional approaches.

Speaking at the conference, Dr Raina said, “It is an honour to be recognised on such a global stage. This award is a tribute to my family and my team. I remain committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation in gastroenterology and endoscopy.”

ENDO 2024 brought together over 5,000 specialists from across the globe and served as a platform for presenting new research and advancements in gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Dr Raina, an alumnus of Government Medical College, Srinagar (MBBS, 2005), completed his MD in Internal Medicine at SKIMS in 2015. He went on to secure top rank in the national DM entrance examination and completed his DM in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai in 2019. He also holds the MRCP (UK) and has trained in several international centres specialising in GI motility and advanced endoscopy.

Currently, Dr Raina is known for his work in diagnostic and therapeutic GI and mediastinal EUS, ERCP and cholangioscopy, and third-space endoscopy techniques such as POEM, ESD, STER, G-POEM, and bariatric endoscopy. He is the only doctor from Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh performing several of these advanced endoscopic procedures.

He has also introduced many of these procedures in his region, contributing to the development of specialised medical care in Kashmir. Dr Raina is regularly invited as a speaker, session chair, and mentor at international conferences and has published widely in the field.

His achievements have been recognised with numerous national and international awards. The recent honour at ENDO 2024 adds to his growing list of recognitions and places his work and the region more firmly on the global gastroenterology map.