Karachi: Pakistan\u2019s healthcare system is facing an urgent crisis, including the growing exodus of doctors, a stark gender gap in the medical workforce, and the pressing need for digitalisation, among other issues. These will be discussed during the upcoming 27th Biennial Central Convention of the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), starting on Saturday, September 21st, 2024, in Expo center, Karachi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking ahead of the PIMA Biennial Convention, newly-elected PIMA Central President Professor Dr. Atif Hafeez Siddiqui, along with senior PIMA members, including Prof. Dr. Sohail Akhtar, Prof. Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, PIMA Karachi President Prof. Dr. Abdullah Muttaqi, and Prof. Dr. Abdul Malik highlighted these concerns while calling for immediate reforms to address them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at a news conference at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Wednesday, Prof. Atif Siddiqui pointed out that 35% of female doctors in Pakistan do not practice after completing their medical education, primarily due to a lack of support infrastructure. Of the remaining 65% of practising female doctors, only 20-25% work full-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This is a significant gap that needs to be addressed. We must rethink how to engage these women, possibly through avenues like telemedicine, which was successfully implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the issue of doctor migration, Prof. Atif Siddiqui revealed that 40-50% of male medical graduates express a desire to leave Pakistan and work abroad, with 25-30% already serving in foreign countries. He called the situation “alarming” and noted that many newly graduated doctors feel underpaid and undervalued, exacerbating the talent drain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are losing our brightest minds. The first heart transplant was led by a Pakistani doctor trained abroad\u2014this shows the magnitude of the brain drain our country is facing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prof. Saad Khalid Niaz, former caretaker health minister of Sindh, further added that health insurance schemes, already implemented in other provinces, should be introduced in Sindh. \u201cBillions are distributed to various health institutions, but systemic inefficiencies, particularly within the Secretariat, undermine the profession,” he said, stressing that digital reforms could help reduce these inefficiencies. Prof. Saad Khalid emphasised the need for digitalising the Sindh health department, a reform he said would expose ghost employees and improve transparency in processes such as postings, transfers, and data management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Doctors are constantly struggling with bureaucratic red tape, and a digital system would eliminate the need for outdated processes that make even minor tasks like leave applications difficult,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PIMA leadership also highlighted issues in the pharmacy sector, calling for reforms similar to those in Punjab, where drug stores and pharmacies are separated, and only qualified pharmacists are allowed to dispense medicines. Concerns about unqualified doctors and the need for free essential testing\u2014drawing on the UK model where diabetes patients receive free tests\u2014were also discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Central President of PIMA Pakistan, Professor Sohail Akhtar also addressed the press briefing, he informed that 27th Biennial PIMA Central Convention, scheduled for 21-22 September 2024, in Karachi Expo, is set to address these urgent issues, beside the critical and typical scientific sessions on the common diseases of various specialities. The convention will feature 15 scientific sessions covering topics such as science, the physician-pharmaceutical industry relationship, women\u2019s health, and Role of AI in the Health sector. Pre-convention workshops are already taking place in six cities, focusing on various medical subjects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prof. Dr. Abdullah Muttaqi underscored that the convention would also push for a uniform policy for laboratories across the country, a priority issue for PIMA. The association operates 50 free diabetes clinics and four free eye hospitals nationwide and plans to advocate for the standardisation of lab practices at the convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other key discussions will include topics such as human milk banks, organ transplantation, transgender healthcare, and healthcare challenges in Palestine. Jamaat-e-Islami Central Ameer Engineer Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman is also scheduled to address the convention, underscoring the intersection of healthcare reform with broader social issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As PIMA prepares to bring doctors together from across the country, the focus will be on finding actionable solutions to the pressing challenges of digitalising health departments, addressing the gender gap in the medical workforce, and curbing the exodus of medical talent from Pakistan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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