President calls for devising new social contract in healthcare

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain Thursday called for devising a new social contract in healthcare between patient and doctor to effectively cope with the complexities of contemporary society and modern medicine, adding that the doctors and physicians have many obligations to fulfil and expectations to meet in this regard.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Surgeon General’s Annual International Conference-2017 in Rawalpindi, the president said, “Today patients want to make informed decisions. They aspire to be more in control in treatment options they chose as they have access to information on internet,” he opined. He said that patients were no longer passive recipients of medical advice and treatment and underlined the need for redefining the relation between patient and doctor in the light of these developments.

He noted that with advancement in technology, medical education had become complex and expensive like other walks of life due to which a doctor had to face many problems during the course of education and afterwards with regard to getting a job. “It is necessary that these issues are not only resolved in practical life but also to be ensured that there is no discontent in personal and professional life of a doctor so that he could live an honourable life with his family”, he added.

The president said that doctors must be well-versed in their respective profession, fully equipped with medical tools and receive adequate remuneration to effectively serve humanity.  The president hoped that in the light of recommendations that will be brought forth in the conference, all stakeholders including doctors, society and administrative officials will be successful in devising a strategy to effectively serve humanity which will be satisfying for the public.

 Welcoming the foreign delegates participating in the conference, he expressed optimism that it would enable our institutions to benefit from the experiences of external world. He congratulated the organisers on holding this conference related to new social contract on public healthcare and hoped that Surgeon General of Pakistan and his institute will continue to organise events like this to deal with such challenges.

On the occasion, a documentary video of Army Medical Corps was also shown to the participants of the Conference. Lt. General Asif Mumtaz Sukhera HI (M), Surgeon General Pakistan Armed Forces and senior officials were also present on the occasion.