Dr Muhammad Shabi Ahmed, a prominent British-Pakistani consultant urologist recognized for pioneering a minimally invasive kidney stone removal technique in the UK, has been honoured with Pakistan’s prestigious Medal of Excellence (Tamgha-i-Imtiaz). This award acknowledges his nearly 30 years of outstanding contributions to public health services in both the UK and Pakistan. The honour was bestowed by President Asif Ali Zardari as part of Pakistan’s national civil awards, officially listing Dr Ahmed among the recipients.
Currently serving as a Consultant Urologist in Birmingham, UK, Dr Ahmed also holds the position of Professor of Urology. He is a Visiting and Honorary Professor at Dow University of Health Sciences and the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT). Over his career, he has held significant roles including Trustee and Vice President/Treasurer of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), notably becoming the first Pakistani graduate to join the BAUS Council in its 80-year history. Additionally, he is a founding member of the Association of Pakistani Physicians in the UK.
Dr Ahmed graduated from Dow Medical College in Pakistan and completed his advanced surgical training in urology in Newcastle, specialising in endourology and stone disease. He further enhanced his expertise through fellowships in the UK and at high-volume specialist centres in Southeast Asia. His reputation in the UK was established as part of a select group of specialists who developed a minimally invasive kidney stone removal procedure. This innovative technique allows the extraction of a kidney stone approximately 2cm in size through a small 1cm incision, significantly reducing invasiveness and enabling patient discharge within 24 hours, compared to previous hospital stays of up to five days.
Explaining the procedure, Dr Ahmed described it as involving a thin telescopic instrument called a nephroscope, inserted through a small incision in the patient’s side to reach the kidney. The stone is then either extracted or fragmented into smaller pieces using laser or pneumatic energy.
Beyond his surgical achievements, Dr Ahmed has been deeply involved in charitable medical initiatives in Pakistan and other developing countries. He acts as a trustee and UK representative for SIUT, and represents the Indus Health Network in the UK. He is also linked with Midland Health, which established a charitable hospital in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, Dr Ahmed played a key role in launching urology services at this hospital and continues to support the programme. His charitable efforts extend to organising and participating in urology camps in southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and rural Sindh.
His contributions also include medical education and postgraduate training in Pakistan. Dr Ahmed serves as an examiner for the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) and for the Master of Surgery (MS) urology programme. He advises on medical training nationally and internationally.
Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Dr Ahmed stated, “Receiving the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz from the country where I was born and shaped into who I am today is deeply meaningful. This award honours my work with charitable organisations supporting healthcare and fundraising for disadvantaged communities, as well as my efforts in advancing health sectors in both the UK and Pakistan.”
In a significant development during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Ahmed gained attention in the UK when he publicly highlighted concerns about the disproportionate impact of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortages on doctors from ethnic minority backgrounds. Research later confirmed that ethnic minority doctors were more likely to face reprimands when raising such issues, with Muslim medics experiencing particular discrimination. Dr Ahmed was the first UK doctor to raise these concerns on national media. He has also spoken out about the disproportionate treatment of ethnic minority doctors by the General Medical Council (GMC) and advocated for distressed doctors, discussing these issues in interviews with major broadcasters.
