Dr. Mahmood Naqvi

Cape Breton University is pleased to recognize and honour Dr. Mahmood Naqvi for his outstanding contributions to the field of medicine. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, Diplomate and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the International College of Vascular Surgery. He holds a diploma in healthcare administration from the University of Saskatchewan and a certificate in vascular surgery from Royal College. He has always been a passionate advocate for his patients and for the improvement of healthcare on Cape Breton Island.

Along with a dedication to the community, his accomplishments as a surgeon and healthcare administrator have earned him national, provincial and local recognition. He is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia. He received the Nova Scotia Medical Society’s Distinguished Service Award and was a senior member of the Canadian Medical Association. He was recognized by the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, was named the Citizen of the Year by the Kinsmen Club of Sydney, and was named man of the year by the Cape Breton Post.

Dr. Naqvi has been a pioneer throughout his career. He established the first intensive care unit, coronary care unit and renal dialysis unit at Sydney City Hospital. He was the founder and co-chair of the Regional Hospital Foundation and, as such, was instrumental in creating the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. Under his leadership, several new clinical programs were developed, including the pain clinic, Methadone clinic, gerontology, endocrinology, hematology and plastic surgery clinics.

As a surgeon, he pioneered vascular surgery in Sydney and established a province-wide Laparoscopic Surgery program. Dr. Naqvi has always understood the importance of recruitment and was able to attract many health professionals to our community through patience, perseverance and persuasion. For Dr. Naqvi, it was always about making connections and helping others feel connected in return.

Admirably, Dr. Naqvi was never afraid to be innovative in his approach to attracting health professionals to our area. He has been a leader, a visionary and a trusted friend and colleague to so many.

Cape Breton University is delighted and proud to honour Dr. Mahmood Naqvi with an inaugural Healthcare Award of Distinction. We thank him for his leadership and unwavering commitment to improving healthcare for his fellow Nova Scotians.