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The Review June 9, 2015 WHITESIDE COUNTY
State salutes Dr. Sala Pakistan native named AsianAmerican public health champion BY CHRISTI WARREN
ROCK FALLS – This is one of those stories of hope, of hard work paying off, of dreams coming true. As Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said at the Whiteside County Health Department on Wednesday morning, this is one of those stories that shows the good that immigrants can bring to our nation. Just after 10:30 a.m., Dr. Muhammad Salahuddin became one of a very small number of doctors in the state to be honored for his service to public health, having worked in the sphere since 2006. Salahuddin was named an Asian-American public health champion and thanked for the contributions he’s made. Salahuddin knew from a young age that he wanted to be a doctor. He grew up in Lahore, Pakistan, the capital of the Punjab province and a beautiful, bustling metropolis, filled with culture and history. When he was in fourth grade, his parents died. It was then that he realized what he wanted to do with his life. He would walk through the countryside and see these people – sick people, people without health care. “It occurred to me, Why not become a doctor?� said Salahuddin, 78. Dr. Sala, as he’s affectionately known, came to America – to the Chicago area – in 1986 with his wife. “I wanted to learn the
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Dan Wells greets Dr. Muhammad Salahuddin on Wednesday morning, just before the doctor was honored as an Illinois Department of Public Health Asian-American public health champion. Salahuddin, 78, has practiced at the Whiteside County Health Department since 2006.
Sala returns to Pakistan yearly
most modern medicine,� he said. “That was my ambition. That’s it. And, I did learn, and today I am here.� After he went through medical residency and training, he began to look for places to live. He settled on Sterling. “The name was fascinating,� he said, laughing. Beth Fiorini, administrator of the health department, was sitting in on the interview, and she laughed, too. “You liked the name Sterling?� she said. “I liked the name!� Salahuddin affirmed. When he first arrived in town, he worked as a
temporary doctor at the mill clinic before being taken on full time. In 2006, he came to work at the health department. He still makes the journey back to his home country when he can, usually for about 3 months out of the year. “They don’t have as good of medical care as they should, so, I spend my time with them. I diagnose them, treat them, refer them, even personally go to help them. It gives me a lot of comfort, and I feel sort of compensated doing that.� Shah is also of south Asian ancestry, some-
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thing that makes this award resonate strongly with him, he said. “This is – in a time when the status of immigrants
in our country is not always sure – we should look to individuals like Dr. Sala to show how much the richness and diversity
and commitment of pubic service [immigrants] can bring,� Shah said. “Not only to our communities here, but back home.�
In a time when the status of immigrants in our country is not always sure, we should look to individuals like Dr. Sala to show how much the richness and diversity and commitment of public service [immigrants] can bring. Not only to our communities here, but back home. Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health
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