Top honour for Durban radiographer
Elected to head up world body
DURBAN’s Dr Fozy Peer is celebrating her quantum leap to the presidency of an international radiography organisation by going on a pilgrimage to Islam’s holiest shrine.
Soon after jetting in from Helsinki, where delegates to the 18th world congress of the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists elected her their fourth female president in 52 years, she received a second surprise. Her
I will use my global leadership to encourage the profession to promote the highest achievable standards of patient care
son, Irshaad, 33, gave his hard-working mother a pilgrimage to Mecca during the month-long Ramadan fast.
As head of the 500 000strong organisation, Peer, 57, of Westville, is the second African to be elected as president, after Nigeria’s Phillip Akpan.
She will lead the nonprofit organisation to Seoul, South Korea, in 2016 and Trinidad and Tobago in 2018.
“I was taken by surprise when delegates voted me overwhelmingly as their president of 88 member countries and a membership of half a million medical professionals and practitioners,” said Peer.
“In Mecca, I am looking forward to connecting spiritually about my life, family, community and career, and also praying for the peace and prosperity of my beloved country.
“I need some spiritual upliftment to continue with my work.
“I have been to the holy land a few times with my family, but I have not undertaken a pilgrimage during Ramadan.”
Peer, senior manager of Nuclear Medicine at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, has previously travelled to Saudi Arabia’s famous religious landmark with her husband, Aslam, son Irshaad and daughter Raeesa, 30.
“I will use my global leadership to encourage the profession to promote the high- est achievable standards of patient care and professional practice in the world,” she said.
Peer qualified as the first female doctor in radiogra- phy in South Africa. She spent two terms as president of the national body and several years as public relations director on the international board.
She led South Africa’s bid to host Africa’s first International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists world congress in 2008.