ISLAMABAD, May 5 (APP):Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Saturday said the federal government was making all out efforts to provide efficient healthcare services to the people be it treatment, prevention or awareness on diseases.
He was addressing the 2nd Liver Transplant Symposium titled ‘A Medical Marvel’ held by Shifa International Hospital (SIH) to celebrate the successful 660 liver transplant surgeries by the hospital since 2012.
The event was attended by Chief Executive Officer SIH Dr Manzur-ul-Haq Qazi, Chairman Board of Directors SIH Dr Habib-Ur-Rehman, pioneer of liver transplant surgery in Pakistan Dr Faisal Saood Dar and Chairman Pakistan Society of Hepatology Professor Javed Iqbal Farooqui besides renowned health experts from across Pakistan as well as abroad.
The prime minister said the provision of healthcare services was one of the top obligations of the government which it had been fulfilling despite resource and constitutional constraints.
He said though the health subject had been devolved to the provinces, the federal government was extending all out cooperation in the sector for betterment of the citizens.
Lauding the services of SIH in healthcare, the prime minister said the facility had been the pioneer in most health services in Pakistan.
He said the role of the private sector was vital to bridge the gaps in the health sector and SIH could lead in this regard.
The prime minister told the gathering that the government had recently adopted a National Hepatitis Strategic Framework to address the prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis nationally.
He said this initiative could also lead to various other steps like legislation and other administrative measures.
He recalled the early days of the SIH founded by late Dr Zaheer and said the current achievements by the hospital were in fact the testimony to the commitment of the founder.
He also paid homage to the renowned doctors who preferred to join SIH to serve their countrymen despite having far better opportunities in the world.
Realizing the severity of the prevalence of the hepatitis in the country, Prime Minister Abbasi urged both the federal and provincial governments to join their hands against the disease.
Later, the prime minister also gave away shields to local and foreigner doctors to recognize their contributions in liver transplant surgery.
Addressing the ceremony, CEO of the hospital Dr Manzur-ul-Haq Qazi said by carrying out above 650 live donor transplant surgeries, the hospital had achieved a gigantic milestone.
He said SIH was among only 950 hospitals in the world those had been certified by the Joint Commission International. He also highlighted the SIH’s services in education as well as the welfare sector to support the treatment of needy patients.
Liver Transplant Surgeon Dr Faisal Saood Dar said liver transplant was the most difficult surgery and first liver transplant in Pakistan by local doctors was conducted in 2012. To its credit, the SIH had also the surgery of a five months old baby, he added.
Presenting the gloomy picture of hepatitis prevalence in Pakistan, he said 5 percent of the population was infected by hepatitis C and 2.5 percent by Hepatitis B making around 15 million of the 200 million nation infected by the virus.
He said out of these 15 million people, 20 percent (3 million) would required liver transplant surgeries in their lives as they carried the disease in advanced stage.
Dr Dar also drew government’s attention to launch a program for deceased liver transplant as it would be cost effective but required special equipment and expertise.
Dr Habib-ur-Rehman called for efforts to ensure prevention from the disease as only this way, the number of liver transplant cases could be reduced.
Dr Javed Iqbal Faruqui said SIH had carried out 85 percent of liver transplant surgeries conducted in Pakistan. He said a liver transplant surgery cost around 3.5 million which was borne by the patient, so the government should launch a liver transplant financial system like other countries.
