“According to experts, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death after lung cancer and screening in women over 40 years of age increases chances of early detection and thus timely treatment by 17 per cent,” the minister, Sagheer Ahmed, said at the ceremony held at the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) house.
PMA Secretary-General Mirza Ali Azhar announced that the free-of-charge facility can carry out up to 30 screens per day, which will be by appointment only. Further, different communities are being taken on board and after they line up their appointments, they can coordinate and ask for the caravan to be sent to their area for that day.
Medical negligence
On the issue of medical negligence, which over the last couple of years has created quite a stir, the health minister said that he stood by the doctors. Announcing plans to table legislation on medical negligence, Ahmed said that while some doctors “were treating their profession like a business, all doctors are not butchers and most of them are serving sincerely”. Sympathy, compassion and understanding needed to be sought on both ends, Ahmed said.
Referring to the Mamgi Hospital case, he said that mistakes can occur in complicated procedures but this does not mean that the doctors should be handcuffed and arrested in the middle of the night.
On the other hand, he said, patients and their families also need to be taken into confidence by doctors. The doctors should explain the options available to a patient in complete detail.
The need for parameters on medical negligence and culpability of doctors needed to be closely reviewed, Ahmed said. Accountability needs to be brought through law and not mob justice.
PMA Karachi president Dr Idress Adhi said that if doctors are perpetually scared of being arrested or attacked, then they will not be able to perform their duties diligently.
Regulation of private hospital fees
Speaking to the media after the inauguration, the health minister said that a bill for the registration and regulation of fees charged by private hospitals will be tabled soon. Hinting this move may take place as early as the next assembly session, Ahmed said that a legal draft was present with the chief minister and needed to be discussed further before it was presented in parliament. Halting treatment of patients, especially those in critical condition, and refusing to release bodies to families due to lack of payment is a practice that needs to end, said Ahmed.
Regulation and control of disposable syringes
On the bill passed by the parliament on Wednesday, the health minister said that its implementation was being taken very seriously and anyone found in violation would be dealt with firmly.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2011.
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