Improving healthcare: A new way to practice medicine in Pakistan

Dr Qidwai claims family medicine is both high quality and cost-effective

KARACHI: With strong family medicine, a country can improve health indicators, says Dr Waris Qidwai, professor and chair of the family medicine department at the Aga Khan University Hospital.

The College of Family Medicine Pakistan (CFMP) organised an event to commemorate the World Family Doctors Day at the National Institute of Child Health on Sunday. Dr Qidwai briefed the audience on the importance of family medicine. "We treat the whole body," he said. "It [family medicine] is cost-effective care. Patients trust their doctors and share their personal issues."

Sharing his experience of the primary healthcare system in Pakistan, Dr Qidwai said that there was no research in primary healthcare in Pakistan. "Our doctors consider the public sector system corrupt," he said. "But you have to work with it. You also have to work with non-governmental and international organisations."



He urged junior doctors to promote family medicine. Promotion of family practices will provide high quality, cost-effective healthcare to the masses. "Family medicine is a new specialty for Pakistan," said Qidwai. He claimed there was a need to spread awareness about family medicine.

Dr Shehla Naseem, the secretary-general of the CFMP, spoke about 'Ethics in Family Medicine'. "A patient has the complete right to refuse treatment," she said. Naseem said that professional organisations, developed societies and, most importantly, patients expect ethical doctors.

Dr Naseem said that a patient has the right to medical treatment, information about their disease and medicine. "He has the right to choices, the right to privacy and the right to complain," she said. Naseem urged all physicians to be aware of moral issues relating to medicine.

The speakers urged doctors to concentrate on family medicine as it had a bright future. They said that it was an easy job for doctors to understand a patient's problem at the first stage, compared to any specialist.

Dr Qidwai, in his address, said that "instead of a spending millions" on building trauma centres, it would be more beneficial to revamp primary healthcare in the country.

Dr Faisal Nisar, Prof Dr Riaz Qureshi and Dr Amin Kharadi were awarded shields for excellence in family medicine.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2015.