LAHORE: Terming adoption of standardized procedures for diagnosis and treatment of any disease as a "right approach", Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Faisal Sultan said on Friday that it is necessary to prepare and modify health guidelines keeping in view the national requirements.
While addressing the inaugural ceremony of the National Guidelines for the Management of Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) at a local hotel, Dr Faisal said that medical care had become complex, therefore, it was very important to adopt guidelines and consult authentic text, which ultimately helped in improving quality of care.
He said that those preparing guidelines should keep in mind that guidelines should be authentic and based on science and experimental evidences. "Being doctors we must be capable enough to check facts and differentiate opinion and experimental evidences so that patients could be treated in the best manner," he said.
Regarding STIs, he said the people suffering from STIs felt hesitation while discussing their health problems. Present on the occasion were Country Director UNAIDS Dr. Maria Elena Filio, vice-chancellor KEMU Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal, vice-chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Prof. Amir Zaman Khan, Director Punjab AIDS Control Program Dr. Munir Ahmed, Prof. Dr. Ijaz Hassan, Prof. Dr. Ayesha Ihsani, Prof. Ayela, Prof. Tahir Jamil, Dr. Shehla Shaukat, representatives of UNFPA, WHO and a large number of physicians and experts.
Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid called for ending stigma and discrimination towards HIV/AIDS patients. She said, "We have introduced Insaf Medicine cards for patients of TB, Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS and around 180,000 cards are being distributed for free treatment."
She said the guidelines will help experts in management of STIs among HIV/AIDs patients. Major source for spread of HIV/AIDS are quacks, re-use of infected syringes and lack of violation of SOPS during blood transfusions, she added.
Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that the Punjab AIDS Control Program was providing free of cost diagnostic, counseling and treatment services to HIV/AIDS patients across the province. She said behavior of doctors provided half the treatment to patients. She added that the key task of Medical Universities was to conduct research.
Vice-chancellor King Edward Medical University Professor Khalid Masood Gondal said on the occasion that the KEMU was providing top quality education. He highlighted that the KEMU had produced a number of researches on treatment and psychological aspects of HIV/AIDS.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020