The state of public health is dismal in remote areas of D.G. Khan, where a large number of women and children are facing malnutrition, abdominal diseases, anaemia, scabies, restlessness, respiratory diseases, joint pains, skin and eye infections, tuberculosis and other somatic problems.
This was revealed during a free medical camp organised by Indo-Pak Punjab Psychiatry Society in collaboration with Gul Fatima Development Organisation at Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Jampur district Rajanpur.
For the first time, a five-member team of Indian experts including Dr Satish Chander Malik, senior consultant in psychiatry, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, Dr Mrs Shujata Malik, consultant and head Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, Professor A.K. Kala, Director, Dr Kala's Nursing Home for Psychiatric Treatment, Ludhiana, India, Dr Mrs Ravinder Kala, counselling professional, Dr Syeda Rukhshada, family psychiatrist, Mumbai, also supervised the camp in the remote area of Jampur and provided free medical services to the poor people.
From Lahore, Professor Dr Haroon Rashid Chaudhry, Head Psychiatry Department Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore, Dr Imran, social worker Sehrash, and other medical professionals provided free medical and counselling services to the patients.
Thousands of residents of Jampur, DG Khan, Chotti Zaireen and other peripheral areas thronged the Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Jampur for getting medical advice from experts. The camp which started at 9.00 am continued till 2.30 pm. The patients were also given free medicines, which were arranged by Indo-Pak Punjab Psychiatry Society and Gul Fatima Development Organisation.
This scribe who also accompanied the medical team found some patients particularly children in dire need of surgery. Due to lacking required facilities in the area as well as resources by the parents of such children, no immediate treatment was being given to them. The team members referred such patients to Nishter Hospital Multan and Lahore General Hospital for surgery.
The state of health in the area was found unsatisfactory, as almost every woman who approached the camp, complained of stomach pain and other abdominal diseases. Cases of TB, asthma and other respiratory problems were also found common. A large number of cases of epilepsy were also seen by the team. When the patient were asked by the experts to continue the treatment for at least three years, they told that they have no sufficient resources to purchase medicines.
It has also been observed that malnutrition is a major public health problem in the area that has affected a large number of women and girls. This is a direct consequence of the lower social status accorded to women and girls, who as a result tend to eat less and face additional barriers when accessing health care. Cases of common communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, diarrhoea and tetanus were also reported at the camp. It has been noticed that high prevalence of communicable diseases and malnutrition are not only related to poor living conditions, but also due to the lower social status of women and girls. Although, the camp was organised for those facing psychiatric illnesses, but almost all types of patients facing complicated diseases thronged the hospital with high hopes of immediate relief to their serious ailments.
Over 2,800 patients were registered by the local hospital administration but the team members have seen over 3,000 patients in a short period of over five hours.
After conducting camp, Dr Satish Chander Malik, Senior Consultant in Psychiatry, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, told this scribe that they have seen almost every type of patients. There was really poor state of health, which requires immediate attention of the authorities concerned. He stated that they have decided to arrange a similar camp next year at THQ Jampur along with a team of Indian experts. 'We have also decided to bring medicines from India for giving to poor patients who really need immediate help', he added.
Dr Syeda Rukhshada, family psychiatrist, Mumbai, who is only female Muslim psychiatrist in Mumbai told this scribe that in the remote areas of India there is almost similar state of affairs as were noticed in Jampur. She said that she had seen a large number of patients with joint pains, anaemia, mental retardation and other ailments during the camp. She said that in India, free medical camps are organised frequently but these are arranged in an organised manner as the school children are also involved in the activity. She offered to extend all out help in arranging such activity in future too.
During a visit to the area, it has been noticed that a large number of untrained and unregistered medical practitioners are making a fast buck by gambling with the health of poor people. The quacks were seen running clinics and dealing with the emergencies. Due to such state of affairs, people have lost confidence on even local doctors.
A woman Fatima Bibi who approached at the camp complained that local doctors are not paying attention to their treatment and they did not give free medicines.
Earlier, the Indian and local medical team members had an overnight stay at the residence of Sardar Jaffer Leghari MNA and Mrs Mina Ehsan Leghari MNA at Chotti Zaireen. Sardar Jaffer Leghari who is BSc Agriculture is looking after the family estates and also of the local politics of Leghari family. His wife Mina Leghari who did her Master in International Relations from the San Francisco State University is taking personal interest for the wellbeing and uplift of the poor people of the area. Both are organising free medical camps on regular basis.
They have also taken a lot of interest in restoring their old 14th century fort, and the Sheesh Mahal, in Chotti Zaireen, DG Khan. Jaffar Leghari was restoring the Sheesh Mahal palace, which is one of the most beautiful Sheesh Mahal in the sub-continent.
During visit to the Sheesh Mahal, it has been seen that every room has been hand painted along with gold and mirror work. A small museum has also been set up in the Sheesh Mahal.