KARACHI, Feb 23: A study undertaken recently at a general hospital showed that between 35 and 40 per cent of the patients reported infectious diseases, which are preventable.

One suggestion made by the report on this study was that infectious diseases wards be opened in all general hospitals of the country. All diseases that took birth due to unhygienic conditions and multiplied through contact with infected people be treated at these wards, added the report.

The proposed wards could also play an important role in bringing about awareness of infectious and communicable diseases and also of ways in which outbreaks of the same could be prevented. But not much progress has been made in this regard.

However, Dr Naseem Salahuddin of the Infectious Diseases Society of Pakistan, during a meeting with Dawn said the time had come for implementing the said suggestion.

She was of the view that if a number of doctors were trained in the infectious diseases discipline and an appropriate number of wards were opened in the country, the incidence of infectious and preventable diseases could be brought within reasonable limits.

Dawn interviewed several physicians and surgeons and sought their opinions on the issue. One mid-level doctor, on condition of anonymity, said on Monday every senior doctor invariably tried to paint his or her own discipline as the most important.

“This is done primarily to attract as much investment as is humanly possible. Every such suggestion should be properly weighed and scrutinized,” he said.

Dr Shershah Syed of the Pakistan Medical Association said very few people would oppose the establishment of at least one infectious diseases centre in every major city of the country. “There is a need for a chain of such centres, without any doubt.”

However, sounding a note of caution, he added: “Such a centre should not be established just to oblige ‘Dr Shershah’ because he is my relative but rather to serve the people.

“In other words, such centres should be established and run in a proper manner and not with a view to accommodating someone close. Otherwise the whole exercise will fail miserably in achieving its goals.”

A senior physician said a number of specialized centres had been set up in both Saudi Arabia and former East Pakistan. “A Cholera Centre, for instance, was established in East Bengal more than 30 years ago,” said Dr Akhtarul Hassan.

He said the cholera centre had become very popular among the population because of its high standards. The region used to be perpetually in the grip of cholera outbreaks.

The senior physician, who until a couple of years ago was a member of the team of doctors working for the Saudi Royal family, said at least two health centres, dealing with just one or two infectious diseases, was established in Saudi Arabia more than 20 years ago.

“These examples show that specialized infectious diseases centres is not a new concept,” said Dr Hassan.

Dr Naseem Salahuddin said economic and other burdens of the infectious diseases was great. These diseases include tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, fevers of unknown origin, malaria, typhoid, meningitis, liver abscess and parasitic infections.

“One logical way to deal with all these diseases is to create wards in every major hospital where these could be dealt with properly. This way a team of doctors could be trained who could work towards eradicating the diseases which are totally preventable.”

Dr Salahuddin claimed that the idea of infectious diseases wards and centres was not a novel one. In response to a question, she said less than ten Pakistani doctors had been trained in the said discipline.

“This is a serious issue which should be looked into.”