Why is there a shortage of female doctors in Pakistan?

[Proudpakistaniguy]

The non-availability of female doctors in Pakistan, including Karachi, has been an issue for a long time now. Women have to consult male doctors for all of their problems. But in conservatives areas, women avoid treatment altogether which often leads to complications.

Ibrahim Haideri is a suburban area of Karachi. Even though there is a government dispensary in the area, female doctors are not present.

A female patient, who visited the dispensary, left for Jinnah hospital, several kilometers away, after finding out that it had no female doctor.

Speaking to SAMAA TV, the woman said if the government had established such a huge facility in the area, then it should also have appointed a female doctor. This way, women could get treatment close to home, she said.

According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, 116,915 women have been awarded MBBS degrees, but around 85,000 female doctors are not practising. Marriage is a major factor behind this.

Each year, 246,606 students are awarded MBBS degrees. The government spends Rs3 million to Rs3.5 million on every graduate.

Tariq Rafiq, the vice chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, told SAMAA TV that the parents of students pay Rs0.7 million in fees to private medical colleges every year. He said that government-run medical colleges only charge Rs30,000 a year.

Rafiq, however, said that up to Rs3 million is spent on every MBBS student from the national exchequer.

Billions of rupees from the national exchequer go to waste due to these female doctors not working in the field after graduation.

One female doctor spoke to SAMAA TV about the issues preventing them from practising. She said that female doctors are often restricted by their husbands or their in-laws from working after marriage.

Along with this, she said, many of them aspire to go abroad in search of better opportunities. She said the government should devise a policy which can prevent MBBS graduates from going abroad.

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[waz]

The non-availability of female doctors in Pakistan, including Karachi, has been an issue for a long time now. Women have to consult male doctors for all of their problems. But in conservatives areas, women avoid treatment altogether which often leads to complications.

Ibrahim Haideri is a suburban area of Karachi. Even though there is a government dispensary in the area, female doctors are not present.

A female patient, who visited the dispensary, left for Jinnah hospital, several kilometers away, after finding out that it had no female doctor.

Speaking to SAMAA TV, the woman said if the government had established such a huge facility in the area, then it should also have appointed a female doctor. This way, women could get treatment close to home, she said.

According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, 116,915 women have been awarded MBBS degrees, but around 85,000 female doctors are not practising. Marriage is a major factor behind this.

Each year, 246,606 students are awarded MBBS degrees. The government spends Rs3 million to Rs3.5 million on every graduate.

Tariq Rafiq, the vice chancellor of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, told SAMAA TV that the parents of students pay Rs0.7 million in fees to private medical colleges every year. He said that government-run medical colleges only charge Rs30,000 a year.

Rafiq, however, said that up to Rs3 million is spent on every MBBS student from the national exchequer.

Billions of rupees from the national exchequer go to waste due to these female doctors not working in the field after graduation.

One female doctor spoke to SAMAA TV about the issues preventing them from practising. She said that female doctors are often restricted by their husbands or their in-laws from working after marriage.

Along with this, she said, many of them aspire to go abroad in search of better opportunities. She said the government should devise a policy which can prevent MBBS graduates from going abroad.

Follow SAMAA English on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

One female doctor spoke to SAMAA TV about the issues preventing them from practising. She said that female doctors are often restricted by their husbands or their in-laws from working after marriage.

Backward thinking leaving Pakistan further behind. The irony behind this is that these men/in-laws do so in the name of 'protecting women' but end up hurting the greater majority of Pakistani women through their selfish acts.

When will Pakistan stop fighting with one hand tied behind its back, soon I hope Inshallah.

 

[war&peace]

One female doctor spoke to SAMAA TV about the issues preventing them from practising. She said that female doctors are often restricted by their husbands or their in-laws from working after marriage.

Backward thinking leaving Pakistan further behind. The irony behind this is that these men/in-laws do so in the name of 'protecting women' but end up hurting the greater majority of Pakistani women through their selfish acts.

When will Pakistan stop fighting with one hand tied behind its back, soon I hope Inshallah.

Bro, a lot of girls just become Dr. because their parents want them to become Dr and hence get a good proposal. There's are dozen of female doctors in my extended family and many of them are medical practitioners but the ones who didn't wish to continue working are spending their lives as house-wives.

 

[Zee-shaun]

The majority of medical students in Pakistan are females. Their parents encourage them to become doctors to get a good rishta. Once married with children, they become housewives.
What a waste of resources.

 

[war&peace]

The majority of medical students in Pakistan are females. Their parents encourage them to become doctors to get a good rishta. Once married with children, they become housewives.
What a waste of resources.

Basically, they need proper job structure. They are okay with doing the job if it is 08-14 or 08-16 but they cannot work in 12-hrs shifts especially at nights. Thus, they leave the profession because their families suffer.

 

[waz]

Basically, they need proper job structure. They are okay with doing the job if it is 08-14 or 08-16 but they cannot work in 12-hrs shifts especially at nights. Thus, they leave the profession because their families suffer.

Fair play bro, system should accommodate, but there are a fair few who just listen to their in-laws.

 

[Zee-shaun]

Agreed.

 

[Ahmet Pasha]

Wese waqai jahalat aur superstition ki inteha hai hamare muashre me

The majority of medical students in Pakistan are females. Their parents encourage them to become doctors to get a good rishta. Once married with children, they become housewives.
What a waste of resources.

What if same doctor bahoo kicks you out, then what??

 

[Zee-shaun]

Wese waqai jahalat aur superstition ki inteha hai hamare muashre me

I agree with @war&peace . In our society women, specially newly wed and young mothers can't take 12 hour shifts or be stand by all the time. It will effect their marriage and social life. System needs to change. There should be shorter shifts and more part time jobs.

What if same doctor bahoo kicks you out, then what??

ARY se pooch lo, koi to saas bahu ka aisa scenario wala drama hoga with answers.

 

[war&peace]

Fair play bro, system should accommodate, but there are a fair few who just listen to their in-laws.

I have a few suggestions. First of all the criteria for admission should be changed. Crammers should be discouraged. Also, motivation should be a part of admission. We need more quality medical schools. Furthermore, medical education is unfairly rigged towards girls in Pakistan. Most of the students in medical schools / colleges in Pakistan are females but still there are exclusively women's medical colleges and hence a large number of seats are available to girls which does not make any sense.

Furthermore, the state should take a written undertaking from all the medical students that they will practice for at least 10 ten years or they will bear all the expenses of the study plus a seat-wasting fine which will depend on how many years they served like if a student served only 5 years and then she stops so she pays the 50% of fine and 50% of the expenses but if the students does not practice at all, then she pays 100% fine and 100% expenses.

I agree with @war&peace . In our society women, specially newly wed and young mothers can't take 12 hour shifts or be stand by all the time. It will effect their marriage and social life. System needs to change. There should be shorter shifts and more part time jobs.

In Europe, the workload on a Dr is much less as compared to a Dr in Pakistan. There shouldn't be a shift longer than 8 hrs per day and if you need more Drs, employ more Drs and cover 24hrs with three 8-hrs shifts. Though general shift should only be open for in 08-16 or 17 and then just a few Drs for the evening and nights shifts...mostly male in the night shifts

 

[masterchief_mirza]

These females (and their relatives who encourage it) who do mbbs for rishta purposes need to be clamped down on as it is severely damaging when the majority of your med students are female yet somehow that reverses after medical school. Having qualified females sitting around as housewives is madness. I agree that there should be contractual obligations for medical students to commit to practice. If that discourages the rishta-seekers from even applying, good.

Another solution is to encourage part-time work so that female graduates are encouraged to work.

 

[Syed1.]

There is a simple solution to it.... Withhold their degree until they acquire 5 years of work experience.



The same men who refrain their daughters/wives/sisters from working are the ones who will be running from pillar to post looking for a female doctor if a female in their family even has some benign illness. Munafiqat ki inteha.

 

[MastanKhan]

Basically, they need proper job structure. They are okay with doing the job if it is 08-14 or 08-16 but they cannot work in 12-hrs shifts especially at nights. Thus, they leave the profession because their families suffer.

Hi,

Until and unless the husband---mother in law---mother and father are not sent to JAIL and heavily fined---imprisoned---things will not change---.

The females who become doctors would also need to be punished---.

Just simply start to confiscate their properties---the household they live in-----regardless who owns it---under EMINENT DOMAIN as payback for fees amount spent on the student---and time wasted---every one of them will be fixed straight---.

 

[Yaseen1]

In u.s there is also a shortage of doctors and doctors have monoply there that is why medical expenses are higher if you become ill in u.s.Most of population of u.s not become medical doctors due to high fees of u.s medical college.In Pakistan we need to increase male quota in medical colleges so no shortage of doctors occur and female doctors are encouraged to open clinic at their home and govt should help them with financial help if needed

 

[war&peace]

Until and unless the husband---mother in law---mother and father are not sent to JAIL and heavily fined---imprisoned---things will not change---.

That's impractical, at max you can force the student to pay all the dues, in case she does not practice for a specific duration after graduation, because the medical education is subsidised in Pakistan and plus some fine on top of that but even that's not so easy to implement. The best way is to make proper job structure, pay them good salaries and increase the number seats and change the criteria for admission.

Just simply start to confiscate their properties---the household they live in-----regardless who owns it---under EMINENT DOMAIN as payback for fees amount spent on the student---and time wasted---every one of them will be fixed straight---.

Naah, that's excessive. We are not planning to destroy our talented people and Pakistan is not a dictatorship but if we groom our students properly, we can change it sir.