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"The World Health Organization (WHO)
has identified unequal access to disease prevention and care, rising
costs of health care, inefficient health care system and lack of
emphasis on generalist training as major barriers to equitable health
care in developing countries. It also acknowledges the central role
of Family Physicians in overcoming these barriers," said Professor
Riaz Qureshi,
Family Medicine Consultant and Chair, Department of Family Medicine at
Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). He was
giving a presentation on "The Central Role of Family Medicine in
your Health" at the monthly public health awareness programme,
'Signs, Symptoms and Care' on June 14, 2003.
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| Riaz
Qureshi, Family Medicine Consultant and Chair, Department of
Family Medicine speaking on “The Central Role of Family
Medicine in your Health". |
Professor
Riaz Qureshi
said, "a trained family physician combines knowledge and skills from
various medical specialties with a caring and holistic approach,
offering accessible high quality and cost-effective care to individuals,
family and the community. Challenges in quality health care in Pakistan over the next decade and
beyond, require a focussed approach by the relevant governmental
and non-governmental institutions in allocating significant funds
in their budgets to establish Family Medicine training programs
across the country. This strategy will produce the required manpower
to provide quality health care at reduced costs in public as well
as private health care sectors in the not too distant future."
Professor
Qureshi suggested that there is a great
need to upgrade the knowledge and skills of the present day practicing
general practitioners / family physicians and other specialists
on an ongoing basis, with introduction of a fair system of re-certification
by the PMDC.
All
the four provinces with or without federal support could establish
a Medical Education Centre with responsibilities of providing or
supervising the infrastructure needed for Continuing Medical Education
(CME), including a reliable monitoring system. The funds required
for this purpose would be an excellent example of money well spent
to raise standards of medical care in Pakistan.
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| A
panel of consultant Family Physicians of AKU (L to R): Dr. Badar
Sabir Ali, Dr. Aziz A. Rehman Jiwani, Dr. Riaz Qureshi, Dr.
Marie Andrades and Dr. Raheem Dhanani participating in the questions
and answers session. |
In
his lecture, Professor Qureshi also highlighted
the 10 essential qualities of a trained Family Physician, each starting
with the letter C.
A panel
of consultant Family Physicians of AKU, which included Dr. Badar Sabir Ali, Dr.
Aziz Jiwani,
Dr. Marie Andrades and Dr. Raheem Dhanani participated in the questions and answers session
at the end of the programme.
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