KARACHI: A group of gastroenterologists from Karachi has joined hands on Thursday to from a Pakistan Network of Liver and Gasteroenterology (PNLG), a body vowing to enhance public awareness regarding gastrointestinal diseases and issues.
The body will also hold training sessions for young doctors so that they could properly diagnose and treat stomach diseases and serve the people effectively, members claimed.
Members of newly formed Pakistan Network of Liver and Gasteroenterology (PNLG) cut a cake at Karachi Press Club (KPC) to formally launch the forum.
“Aims and objectives of this network are to enhance understanding of common people regarding stomach and intestinal diseases, their symptoms, improve available treatment options and precautions that can prevent them from various preventable diseases”, Coordinator of the PNLG Dr. Shahid Ahmed said.
He claimed that a bunch of gastroenterologists from different public and private hospitals in Karachi are part of this newly formed body.
Liaquat National Hosptial’s Assistant Prof. Dr. Sajjad Jamil said that various health conditions related to stomach, internal organs and intestines could be treated if diagnosed at earlier stages. He urged people to consult them in case of any problem related to stomach, liver and intestines.
Dr. Lubna Kamani from AKUH deplored that there were hardly five to six qualified female gastroenterologists in Karachi and due to their extreme shortage; female patients were reluctant to approach male doctors and often end up in developing cancers of colon or intestines.
Dr. Kamani said their network would also train young female doctors in Karachi and other districts of Sindh so that problems of 52 percent female population could be addressed and they could get quality treatment near to their abodes.
Dr. Nazish Butt from Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JMPC) said many women in Pakistan die annually due to absence of qualified female health experts. She urged women having gastrointestinal problems to approach qualified female consultants instead of going to quacks.
However she did not elaborate as where the female patients should consult since there was shortage of female doctors.
Dr. Zahid Azam from DUHS, Dr. Hafeezullah Shaikh, Dr. Shahid Mahood from NMC and Dr. Mukesh Kumar from Liaquat college of Dentistry also spoke.