National perspective
KARACHI: Pakistan’s healthcare imitates unequal access to health facilities, inadequate allocation for health, high population growth, infant mortality, poverty and malnutrition. The students of the Public Relations and Corporate Communication, Institute of Business Management (IBM) organized an event, titled ‘Healthcare for the Less-Privileged’.
The seminar was attended by CEOs, directors, managers, doctors and healthcare professionals from hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, NGOs, private and the public sector. Renowned environmentalists, nutritionists, and public figures from welfare trusts, blood banks and youth parliament were also among the guests. A large number of students, faculty and administrative staff attended the event.
The participating organisations included SIUT, Indus Hospital, Hashmanis Eye Hospital, Civil Hospital, youth parliament, Alamgir Welfare Trust, Rangoonwala Foundation, Fatimid Foundation, Red Crescent Society, GSK Pharmaceutical, and Reckitt Benckiser pharmaceutical.
Rector and Executive Director, Talib Karim, EMEC, at the IoBM acknowledged the presence of health luminaries. While addressing the seminar, he explained how the IoBM contributes to education in business management and allied disciplines, including a well-established health and hospital management program.
Dr Anwar Naqvi of the SIUT appreciated the efforts of the IoBM students for organising a purposeful event. He gave an overview on healthcare in Pakistan and the stupendous contribution made by the SIUT for this cause for the last 44 years.
Asad Gondal of Reckitt Benckiser (RB) pharmaceutical discussed the sustainability in providing consistent healthcare facilities to the less-privileged of the country, which goes beyond the concept of CSR and charity. He said the RB introduced their Project HOPE, which empowers women to educate the families of their areas on the proper hygiene and healthcare procedures and enable them to fight against diarrhea. Brand Manager of GSK for the Antibiotics Portfolio, Hammadullah, discussed the issues Pakistan’s lower segment faces in attaining proper healthcare provision and how GSK was relentlessly working to support the poor with their health needs.
The National Media policy on Healthcare for the Less-Privileged, a significant discovery point of this entire session, was brought forward by a faculty of IoBM, Sir Parvez Jamil. This policy would enable the lower segment of the society an effective, quick, and cost-free access to qualified doctors’ consultancy. As healthcare is very expensive and not affordable to masses, the policy would allow them to receive free of charge medical consultancy through radio, newspaper, and television in the form of live shows, radio discussions, and news articles. Moreover, this would not be a one-time event rather a properly planned and organized project for a prolonged duration that facilitates healthcare for the less-privileged.
Sharif Hashmani of the Hashmani Eye Hospital informed how Hashmanis have improved lives of the less-privileged through eye care, consultancy and treatment. He also explained that how efforts were made to prevent eye diseases and blindness in this regard.
Dr Asima Faisal, HoD of Health and Hospital Management, IoBM emphasized on better planning, organising, controlling and promotion of healthcare for the less-privileged. Nisar Ahmed, Alamgir Welfare Trust, while speaking to the audiences shared their altruistic and practical role in providing free-of-cost specialist consultancy, treatment and medication to those who cannot afford. The event was able to generate meaningful insights about the current and emerging problems in the health sector.
