MEDICAL ASSOCATION DETERMINES MEDICAL ETHICS IN ITS RECENT SEMINAR (19TH MARCH, 2007) By Naseer Ahmad 86th NMC

Sponsor DS: Dr. Sikandar Hayat

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SEQUENCE OF PRESENTATION
Issue Significance Details of Issues

Public Policy
Analysis Conclusion Recommendations
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Issue

Pakistan Medical Association at a recent concluded seminar, on medical ethics stressed upon the medical fraternity to look into the weaknesses in the health delivery system and malpractices in the profession.

SIGNIFICANCE
Recently in the medical profession number of over the country. Such hospitals are mainly as investments for profiteering by the already existing Industrialists or practicing cluster of physicians. The main target remains to earn exorbitant profits from such hospitals also establishing laboratories and operation theaters.
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new

hospitals are being established in the private sector all

 The rent of rooms, fee of doctors, laboratory charges

and operation fees are extracted at high level, as desired. Such hospitals have also opened their corner shops of medicines and surgical appliances.

In view of above, the professionalism stands buried

under the greed of earning huge money, which also

causes lack of genuine concentration in the treatment of

the patients.
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 Certain highly complicated surgical operations are

undertaken to charge fees, even if the same are premature or even not required, which is highly immoral and unlawful. The Industrialists who have established such hospitals have declared them so called trusts and the money pumped into them is called as donation for the purposes of rebate in taxation.
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 Even such hospitals are declared to be through cooked

books of accounts non-profit charitable organizations, not subject to taxation causing loss of revenue to the government exchequer. Over and above all, the concerned authorities are unable to prohibit the practice of quacks and sale of fake

medicines including life saving drugs.

The government hospitals are such horrifying places where, even needy and poor would not go in emergency,

instead, they would borrow loan and get their patients

treated in private hospitals in such condition.
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PUBLIC POLICY
Definitely the government desires to regulate the medical centres in the country in the private and the public sector to follow the medical ethics for the welfare of public at large. The District Health Departments are supposed to take care of government hospitals and Medical Superintendents are also required to perform their administrative duties for the proper cure of patients, supply of medicines and upkeeping of the hospital premises.
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 Public Policy would ensure the control on quality of drugs through Drug Inspectors and even punishments under the law by the judges of drug court in case of violations.
Over and above all, the health policy is bound to be extended to all within affordable financial limits.

ANALYSIS
The Medical Association categorized the profession into

physicians, surgeons, pharmacists, pathologists and

paramedical. It was streamlined that how the above categories have to combine together to cure ailing people. It was reiterated that medical practice be regulated and proper registration should be made of the surgeons and physicians.

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It was dilated in the seminar that basic contents of

medial ethics were the same in the different countries. For instance, American Association says a physician should be dedicated to providing a competent medical care, with compassion and respect for human dignity and rights.

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CONCLUSION

The medical profession, has to be honest, professionally sound, devoted and to treat the patients at large within

the ambit of equality without discrimination, caring for the

protection of life and restoration of health.

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RECOMMENDATIONS
The Code of Ethics says that secrecy should be maintained between the doctors and the patients regarding the disease matters. A physician shall respect the law under the relevant code. A physician shall respect the rights of patients and colleagues.

A physician shall continue to study and apply the knowledge.

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 A physician in emergency shall choose whom to prefer

first on fair grounds. Medical Association recommended that in Pakistan only 25 to 30 % population has access to medical facility, therefore such options are limited. A physician should recognize the responsibility to establish NGOs and teaching hospitals in remote areas in Pakistan.
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 One should follow the examples of America and Europe,

where health care is expensive but is available through insurance, which is affordable.

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