‘Exploitation of women seeking infertility treatment common’

Karachi
In the name of treating infertility, hundreds of quacks, traditional ‘Hakeems,’ ‘Sanyasi Babas’ and even some qualified doctors were exploiting poor patients.
This was the unanimous view of the speakers at a news conference held in connection with the moot on infertility and gynecology at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Friday.
The three-day conference has opened here at the PMA House.
Eminent gynecologist and PMA leader Dr Shershah Syed was flanked by WHO Advisor Dr Dina Khan, President Midwives Association Pakistan Dr Riffat Jan and PNFWH representative Dr Sajjad A Siddiqui.
Dr Shershah said people with claim of ‘shartia Elaj’ (guaranteed treatment) were charging enormous fees for the conditions which were not treatable.
While the speakers said, “Such people are also providing wrong and dangerous treatment causing permanent disability and even deaths. We appeal to all these patients who are suffering from infertility to consult their family physicians and get treatment from qualified and competent physicians.”
“We also hope that the government sector hospitals will develop centers for the modern and scientific management of infertility where poor patients can be treated with modern methods with dignity.
The conference will discuss the challenges of management of infertility and the situation in Pakistan where women are suffering because of dangerous infertility doctors,” they said.
The conference will also have sessions on gynecological issues of young women in Pakistan and also cover teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortion and lack of basic and emergency obstetrical care.
“We believe that all young women in Pakistan have a right to life and should work together to achieve this goal. We believe that this goal cannot be achieved without effective promotion of midwives and a system to empower them to run maternity services all over Pakistan. Primary health care can only be provided by training paramedics and nurses,” the speakers viewed.
The experts showed concern about deaths related to breast cancer and gynecological cancers. They said there was a need to evolve a national programme for the screening of breast cancer in general population.
“No woman should suffer with cancer which are treatable or preventable. We think all girls should receive the vaccination against cervical cancer during school days,” they said.
The speakers pointed out that maternal morbidity was a serious issue in Pakistan. “Genital tract fistula, long-term reproductive disability and psychiatric disorders because of pregnancy were the known cause that could be prevented by good education at medical colleges and quality training in hospitals.”
“Unfortunately our policy makers are not giving enough attention to quality medical education and professional training after graduation,” they added.
They stressed the need for strengthening medical education system through massive investment in training programmes.
“We hope our government at the federal and provincial level will address the issues related to women health in Pakistan. We also should work to strengthen the basic health care facilities to every woman in our country.”
Responding to a question by The News, Dr Syed said people who claim that girls in Pakistan could be married at the age of 13 since they reach puberty were ill informed because they were not aware that physiological changes were still going on in them.
To another question by The News, he said “safe abortion’ should be allowed to save the life of a woman.
Dr Dina Khan said early marriages not only lead to physiological changes but also deprive young women of education. She said the minimum age at which a girl should be married is 18.
Dr Riffat Jan said while a poor country like Nepal has achieved millennium development goals (MDGs) because it focused on midwifery training, Pakistan has failed to achieve the goal because of ill planned policies.
To another question, Dr Sajjad Siddiqui said fistula was essentially a resultant of childhood marriage and it was shameful that the government was doing nothing to contain it.
To another question by The News, Dr. Syed said rape of a child causes severe complications and the girl becomes afraid of men. He went on to say that he was treating some victims of childhood rape. “Childhood rape is not uncommon in Pakistan,” he added.