Primary healthcare services now only a call away

Islamabad : In a country where half of the population does not have reliable access to healthcare, Doctory Health Centre—which offers free primary care services to all Pakistanis, regardless of where they live, what income they earn, or what gender they belong to—has come as a blessing. The Centre has undertaken to promote free access to healthcare across Pakistan. The service uses new age technology—telephone and internet—to extend reach and cross traditional barriers.

As Doctory’s CEO Maliha Khalid puts it, “Doctory believes in timely and hassle-free provision of primary care as a fundamental right of every human being.” Explaining the project, which was launched in December last year, Maliha said, “Patients can call Doctory Health Centre between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday on phone number 0348-11-14-411. Doctors on the other side of the line provide necessary triage and counseling, treat minor ailments, and where necessary, connect patients directly to high-quality but economic specialist healthcare without delay. This service provides healthcare at patients’ own time and convenience and saves them a great deal of unnecessary expense and hassle.”

The COO and head of public health at Doctory, Ayyaz Kiani, explained that the “70% of Pakistani population living in rural and peri-urban areas travels to seek healthcare in urban centers where health facilities are concentrated. This leads to high travel and accommodation costs. On an average, they have to visit 5 different doctors before getting to the 6th correct one suitable for attending to their problem.”

Doctory Health Center is a service which not only removes the obstacles in the way of accessing healthcare but also improves attendance in educational institutions and offices in public sector as scientific evidence from around the world shows that illness and medical appointments are the most commonly reported reasons for absences. Not surprisingly, each year during the cold and flu season, there is a dramatic spike in absenteeism for both employees and students.