Lady Phyllis Duke Elder established a gold medal in honor of her late husband, Sir Stewart Duke Elder. This medal, which is called the International Duke Elder Medal is awarded every four years by the Board of the International Council of Ophthalmology to an ophthalmologist who by his/her distinction, leadership and teaching has contributed most to the development of international relations and friendship between ophthalmologists, and who has advanced the field by his/her contributions in writing and organization in ophthalmology.

Honoree: Mohammad Daud Khan (Peshawar/PK)

Laudatio: Bruce E. Spivey (ICO President)

Professor Daud Khan graduated in 1969 at the Khyber Medical College, Peshawar (Pakistan). He obtained his Diploma in Ophthalmology, University of London in 1971, became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh in 1976, of the: Royal College of Ophthalmologists, London, in 1989, of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan in 1994, of the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences in1990, of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Pakistan in 1996 and of the Bangladesh College of Physician & Surgeons in 2005.

He was Professor of Ophthalmology Post Graduate Medical Institute/Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar (1984-1997), Chairman of the National Steering Committee for Prevention of Blindness (1994-2006), Chief Executive, Hayat Abad Medical complex, Dean Post Graduate Medical Institute Peshawar, 2002-2003 and is the Founder Vice Chancellor, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar. He is currently the chairman of “CHEF International “an NGO which aims at providing high quality health care and educational opportunities to the needy population in Pakistan and other developing countries and. Vice President of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan. Professor Kahn served as President of the Asia- Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, of the SAARC Academy of Ophthalmology, of the Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan, of the Eye Bank Society, Peshawar, of the glaucoma interest group of Pakistan, was a Board member for 6 years of the ICO and is still Vice Chairman of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), East Mediterranean Region, Advisor to the WHO and Councilor, College of Physician & Surgeon of Pakistan (CPSP).

He made huge contributions to teaching. He is credited with training over two hundred ophthalmologists and ophthalmic medical assistants. With the help of the WHO and a consortium of INDGOs, he established the Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology (PICO) as a major regional resource centre in Community Eye Health, Research and HRD and started Masters Course in community eye health. Professor Kahn published over 80 scientific papers and gave over 280 lectures in Pakistan and abroad. He served on the editorial board of 8 national and international journals.

He played a key role in initiating a major partnership between the government of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and a consortium of highly committed INGOs to start district comprehensive eye care program in Pakistan. The program started as a ten district initiative and is now covering over 80 districts. Professor Kahn continues to serve on the Board of trustees of Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust (LRBT) since 1984, one of the largest and the finest eye NGO in Pakistan and assisted LRBT to establish two eye hospitals in NGO sector in NWFP.

Among the many awards received we should mention the President of Pakistan Award for outstanding position in MBBS, the President of Pakistan Pride of Performance Award, the Prevention of Blindness Award APAO, the Prevention of Blindness Award Saudi Ophthalmological Society, the APAO Jose Rizal Gold medal, the SARC ophthalmology Life time Achievement Award, the Pakistan Institute of Community Ophthalmology Life time Achievement Award.