The National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (Nirm) is levelling the ground for establishment of Pakistan’s first Psychological Trauma Management Centre (PTMC) to handle survivors of disasters and the rising incidence of trauma resulting from mental stress.
This was stated by Nirm Director Dr. Jehanzeb Khan Aurakzai while addressing the participants of a consultative meeting of stakeholders who had assembled here on Friday to scrutinise the concept paper governing the establishment of such a facility. More than 30 professionals from government and non-government organisations and partners, including the World Health Organisation, attended the meeting.
Having been apprised of the concept of PTMC, the participants were divided into three groups which brainstormed the challenges hampering the establishment of PTMC, coordination of the centre with the primary healthcare system, and various capacity issues.
The groups prepared recommendations and gave ideas favouring the establishment of PTMC. A committee was also formed for implementation and follow-up, with Nirm consultant psychologist Ghulam Murtaza Bodla as its coordinator. After the group discussions, the participants formulated proposals for the Ministry of Health as directed by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.
Dr. Jehanzeb said, the establishment of PTMC will be a huge contribution in the field of psychological management of survivors of disaster. The centre is envisaged to provide a range of services including psychological first aid, psychological assessment, physiotherapy and trauma counselling.
“The centre will offer psychosocial rehabilitation of persons with psychological disorders. Out-reach mental health programmes for the community will also be formulated,” Dr. Jehanzeb informed.
Almost all countries of the world, except for Pakistan, have centres for promotion of mental health. Pakistan is lagging behind in this field.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
PIMS Burn Centre handled 5,000 cases in seven months
1As many as 5,000 patients in critical and semi-critical burn conditions have undergone treatment at the Burn Care Centre ever since its establishment within the premises of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in December 2007.
Constructed at a cost of Rs400 million, the 20-bed Burn Centre is a state-of-the-art public sector facility that has handled a record number of acute burn patients in seven months. The Centre has a 12-bed Intensive Care Unit and 4-bed male and female wards, a self-sufficient blood bank, and dedicated endoscopy and physiotherapy services.
“Managing 5,000 cases over a time period of seven months is a big achievement, especially when the ward has to handle almost all critical and major burn cases from Kashmir, NWFP, as well as central and northern Punjab,” an official working for the well-maintained centre said.
The Burn Centre enjoys a recovery rate of 72% as compared to 35% in many hospitals of India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, ‘The News’ was informed.
There are a number of dedicated burn care centres in the country, the most visible being the one managed by the defence forces in Kharian. There is another 4-bed burn care centre at Nescom Hospital. The Pakistan Ordnance Factories is also running a 12-bed burn care unit at Wah. The country’s largest burn care unit, which has 60 beds, is located at Civil Hospital, Karachi.
Constructed at a cost of Rs400 million, the 20-bed Burn Centre is a state-of-the-art public sector facility that has handled a record number of acute burn patients in seven months. The Centre has a 12-bed Intensive Care Unit and 4-bed male and female wards, a self-sufficient blood bank, and dedicated endoscopy and physiotherapy services.
“Managing 5,000 cases over a time period of seven months is a big achievement, especially when the ward has to handle almost all critical and major burn cases from Kashmir, NWFP, as well as central and northern Punjab,” an official working for the well-maintained centre said.
The Burn Centre enjoys a recovery rate of 72% as compared to 35% in many hospitals of India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, ‘The News’ was informed.
There are a number of dedicated burn care centres in the country, the most visible being the one managed by the defence forces in Kharian. There is another 4-bed burn care centre at Nescom Hospital. The Pakistan Ordnance Factories is also running a 12-bed burn care unit at Wah. The country’s largest burn care unit, which has 60 beds, is located at Civil Hospital, Karachi.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Need for people-friendly healthcare staff urged
PESHAWAR: NWFP Health Minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah has underlined the need for a joint strategy of health department and Khyber Medical University to make the attitude of healthcare staff people-friendly.
He was chairing a meeting during his visit to the university that was also attended by Khyber Medical University vice-chancellor Prof Dr Daud Khan, Registrar Dr Jalil-ur-Rahman and others.
The vice-chancellor gave a detailed briefing to the minister on the university affairs.
He said the university had listed 10 priorities for the overall improvement in healthcare system under which the entire health staff was accorded due importance along with doctors. Change in the attitude of health staff was also part of these priorities, he added.
The minister was also informed about the decisions taken by the academic council. He said the university would soon launch two-year masters in public health degree programme and four-year BSc degree programme in physiotherapy, nursing, vision science and rehabilitation of physically maimed people. Similarly, the university would start gynae, child health, anesthesia, TB and diabetes programmes.
He was chairing a meeting during his visit to the university that was also attended by Khyber Medical University vice-chancellor Prof Dr Daud Khan, Registrar Dr Jalil-ur-Rahman and others.
The vice-chancellor gave a detailed briefing to the minister on the university affairs.
He said the university had listed 10 priorities for the overall improvement in healthcare system under which the entire health staff was accorded due importance along with doctors. Change in the attitude of health staff was also part of these priorities, he added.
The minister was also informed about the decisions taken by the academic council. He said the university would soon launch two-year masters in public health degree programme and four-year BSc degree programme in physiotherapy, nursing, vision science and rehabilitation of physically maimed people. Similarly, the university would start gynae, child health, anesthesia, TB and diabetes programmes.
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