HEC Punjab chairman Prof Dr Nizamuddin was right when he said that family medicine is the key to primary healthcare. Being a medical student, I tried to relate the stage of disease with the time of the patient’s presentation to tertiary care hospitals, treatment outcome and morbidity/mortality rate. I was surprised to see that 80 percent of patients came to hospitals at the final stages of their lives.
The government should create primary healthcare units/clinics in abundance, especially in remote areas where family physicians are appointed and their presence must be ensured. These health units should have flexible timings (ideally 24 hours) so that patients can visit them at any suitable time. These units should also be capable of treating emergency cases, besides routine checkups. Ideally, every patient’s record should be maintained in the primary healthcare unit concerned. Disease prevention through vaccination and patient education should also be a part of it.
Maria Javed
Lahore