Advising students to work in rural areas, Dr Khan said the availability of doctors in far-flung areas would help improve healthcare in those regions. PHOTO :FILE
PESHAWAR: In terms of number of physicians per 100,000 people, Pakistan’s figure exceeds those of its neighbouring countries. However, it lags behind international standards in healthcare provision.
Speaking at a seminar on career guidance organised for students of Khyber Medical College (KMC) on Wednesday, leading oncologist and chief guest Dr Sher Mohammad Khan said the healthcare situation in Pakistan has improved over the last few decades. However, there was still room for improvement, he added.
Dr Khan instructed medical students to focus on serving humanity instead of making money or achieving fame, adding helping the sick is the primary duty of a doctor.
Advising students to work in rural areas, Dr Khan said the availability of doctors in far-flung areas would help improve healthcare in those regions.
According to the statistics presented at the seminar, Pakistan has 80 doctors per 100,000 people. This is a better ratio as compared to its neighbours India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, which have 70, 60 and 30 doctors per 100,000 people, respectively.
However, Pakistan lags behind its neighbours in terms of the number of beds available for patients, immunisation and infant mortality rate, and is yet to meet international standards.
Other speakers highlighted various fields young doctors could succeed in, including surgery and paediatrics.
KMC Principal Professor Dr Noorul Iman along with Professor Dr Nadeem Khawar, Professor Dr A H Aamir and a large number of students attended the seminar, which was organised by Director of KMC Health and Education Wing Sehrish Khan.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2013.
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