PESHAWAR: The Institute of Kidney Diseases, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar has started a speciality Andro Urology to treat people with male infertility and sexual dysfunction.

It is the first speciality to start operations in public sector in the country. A six-bed ward has initially been dedicated to the rare speciality which can be enhanced in near future.

IKD has been offering services to the patients for the past three and half years but the ward was formally launched on October 24 after which there would be postgraduate training of doctors to do specialisation and expand the services.

Dr Mir Abid Jan, who is head of the ward, told Dawn that they were holding OPD and conducting surgeries twice a week where people with sexual dysfunction and infertility were being treated.

Head of facility says gynaecologists will be hired to start treatment of couples

“In future, we plan to hire the services of gynaecologists and start couple treatment. At present, only male patients are received in OPD and those requiring surgeries are being hospitalised,” he said.

Dr Abid, who has completed postgraduation in urology, European fellowship in sexual dysfunction and fellowship in infertility from Fatima Memorial Hospital Lahore, said that 15 per cent couples in Pakistan had infertility problems.

He said that they could be treated through proper diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

The issue of infertility was prevalent among 50 per cent people below the age of 40 years, he added.

Andro Urology is a new speciality, which is gaining currency throughout the world because it is the scientific way to investigate the infertile individuals or couples and provide treatment to them to enable them to go fertile.

“So far, we have received 1,000 patients during the past few years, the success rate of cure ranges from 50 to 70 per cent which is in line with the international standard,” said Dr Abid.

He said that after formal inauguration of the ward, they expected that the speciality would groom further as it would be offering postgraduate training to the doctors, who would then be deployed in other public sector hospitals.

“However, we would send a request to the government to provide us with equipment and machines worth Rs50 million to ensure proper and advance tests for diagnostic purposes,” he said.

Dr Abid said that they would generate the amount incurred on installation of the investigative device.

“So far, there is no male infertility services in public sector hospitals and only female patients are treated by gynaecologists, the result of which is not to a desired level,” he added.

He said that with passing of time, they would start assisted reproductive services to help the couple have kids through the method.

Presently, these services aren’t available in public sector hospitals and the charges at private hospital are not affordable by the people.

“We receive most of the people through referral because the doctors in the public hospitals have been informed about the launch of the new speciality,” said Dr Abid.

He said that couple would be examined by the doctors to ensure their treatment after the speciality was fully developed. “Many doctors, who are working in the ward, are willing to pursue careers in Andro Urology,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2020