By Sir Hamza Kazi
Visiting Faculty, IoBM
Pakistan has a population of 225.2 million with approximately 62.84% residing in rural areas with little to no healthcare facilities. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a real eye-opener for the fragmented healthcare system that was unable to accommodate the great surge in medical emergencies arising daily.
As per a study conducted by whom the number of physicians per 10,000 population stands at 7.8% for nurses & midwives and 3.8% per 10,000 populations. Moreover, there are 110,000 registered doctors in Pakistan out of which 25,000 choose to work abroad leaving 85,000 to accommodate a population estimated at 150 million. Therefore, the ratio remains at 1 doctor per 1764 individuals.
It is needless to state that Pakistan being a developing country, was never prepared for such a plague due to which several precious lives are lost each day. Telemedicine on the other hand is considered to be a fairly new concept but has been consumed unknowingly for decades. This new and improved tech enterprise has caused great concern among the individuals who have always remained fond of tertiary healthcare services whereas, the root cause of any illness is believed to be steered by a swift primary consultation with a qualified general physician.
Several potential benefits of Telemedicine that came under the light during the Covid-19 pandemic embrace: improved and easy access to information, while creating awareness for contagious diseases, enhanced access to increasing healthcare delivery, determination of disease-prone regions, accessibility of healthcare for everyone at a reduced cost, waiving off any unnecessary hospitals visits, providing a platform to ‘doctor brides’ to integrate back into the workforce and enabling the Government to begin formulating a policy and registration of such enterprises as legitimate Telemedicine providers. Moreover, it
has also enabled the utilization of authentic e-prescriptions along with the establishment of a network between general physicians, pharmacies, tertiary care centers, and specialists.
A notable mention of the futuristic vision of this progressing industry was further highlighted during the “Pan Arab Telemedicine & Artificial Intelligence Conference 2019” held on 7th to 9th December in Abu Dhabi. Reportedly, there were 28 speakers from 7 countries including Pakistan, the UK, the USA, Singapore UAE, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia, who were invited for a dialogue regarding Telemedicine and AI as a healthcare future to bridge a major gap between primary and secondary health and specialist care via telemedicine.
Telemedicine is on its course to provide a one-window solution for the growing population of Pakistan providing further access to a tech-driven healthcare platform available in all rural areas where the scarcity of healthcare services has claimed many lives previously. With all the ease that Telemedicine has bestowed upon Pakistan, concerns are being raised about a pressing need for a policy structure and governing laws to be established in order to mitigate the risks and implications of the utilization of such services.
Government of Pakistan along with several other industry members have come forth with the very first policy draft for the provision of such services. As of 2021, there have been no previously existing rules and regulations for Telemedicine nor has any such medical profession accustomed to the technological and digital changes that we have seen.
This new structure and succeeding industry of Telemedicine is projected to take control of the imperative need for qualified consultations and discourage quack consultations that are custom to rural areas.
The telemedicine industry is considered to be a revolutionary modification for the fragmented healthcare system of Pakistan. The need for acceptability of Telemedicine practices may pose a challenge like no other, however, with the right set of rules and regulations in place, the people of Pakistan are expected to find a great deal of comfort in it. It is tranquil to state, “The future is near, the future is here.”
