PESHAWAR: The health department has introduced the facility of paediatric laparoscopic surgery for the first time in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to facilitate people of the province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

The paediatric laparoscopic surgery (PLS) department was formally inaugurated by health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai, who visited the Khyber Teaching Hospital here on Friday.

According to a statement, a presentation was given to the minister in the conference room of KTH where members of the board of governors and senior faculty members were also present.

Prof Inayatur Rahman, head of the paediatric unit, briefed the participants about the paediatric laparoscopic surgery, saying that the old system of surgery had been changed and 95 per cent of surgeries were going through minimal invasive procedure i.e. (laparoscopic).

Minister inaugurates PLS department at Khyber Teaching Hospital

He said that KTH was the first hospital in KP to start PLS where patients from the province and tribal regions would benefit from the modern equipment.

Associate Prof Mohammad Ayaz explained the requirement of separate spinal surgery unit, saying that there were four major areas of spine surgery (degenerative, deformity, tumor and infection).

It is unique specialty of orthopaedic and KTH is the second hospital in the province to proceed for this specialty. In 2015, a total of 1,676 patients were listed, he said.

Orthopaedic department head Prof Zahid Askar briefed the participants about the minimal access of joint surgery through arthroscopy.

He said that the arthroscopic machine was now available in KTH, Peshawar. Due to this procedure the patient would quickly recover with minimum wound and short length of stay.

Department of medicine head Prof Mohammad Humayun called for strengthening of the diagnostic services and specialised staff in these areas.

He stressed for purchase of modern equipment and availability of the gastroenterologist.

Laparoscopic surgeon Prof Mehmood Aurangzeb, HOD surgery department, highlighted the requirement of super specialties in surgical department instead of five surgical wards of the same capabilities. He urge the health minister to facilitate the establishment of neurosurgical and urology department in KTH.

The minister lauded the efforts made by the hospital director Dr Fazle Akbar and medical director Prof Roohul Muqim. He stressed that the present government would utilise all resources for improvement of the health delivery system.

Mr Muqim told the participants that KTH had the best specialists performing duties and also teaching the undergraduate students of KMC and postgraduate trainees. “we will improve the services of medical ICU, surgical ICU, CCU and accident and emergency department, and will soon get specialised staff for the improvement of patient care in these departments,” he said.

Dr Akbar assured the faculty members that all their requirement of equipments and human resource would be fulfilled soon.

Published in Dawn September 10th, 2016