Leaders in the Catholic health sector in Australia have seen first-hand the significant challenges facing Pakistan’s health system, including its network of Catholic hospitals and aged care services.
Catholic Health Australia (CHA) chair Rowena McNally and Cabrini Health’s David Nowell joined Columban Fr Robert McCulloch, Procurator-General of the Missionary Society of St Columban, on a 10-day trip to Pakistan in January, visiting hospital, church and government officials. The visit was at the invitation of Archbishop Joseph Coutts of Karachi, President of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
The first stage of the party's visit included an inspection and meetings at the Holy Family Hospital, a 250-bed capacity maternity and general hospital, the School of Nursing and associated works forming part of the ministry of the Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi. The Australian delegates met with the board, management and staff of the Holy Family Hospital and School of Nursing.
In order to compare the Catholic health care services in Pakistan with others, the group visited a number of other hospitals in the region.
"These tours were valuable in informing us as to the availability of trained personnel, resources and equipment, as well as providing a comparative of other health care facilities in Karachi," Ms McNally said.
A number of meetings with government officials, including Governor of Sindh Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan, Nishan-e-Imtiaz, afforded the opportunity to discuss the work of the Catholic Church in Pakistan. A number of possible opportunities for collaboration between the government and the Catholic Church’s health services in Pakistan were also identified.
From Karachi, the group travelled on to visit the St Elizabeth Hospital in Hyderabad, meeting the hospital administrator and staff including Patras Inayat who trained in Australia in palliative care. St Elizabeth Hospital is a 100-bed hospital, established in 1958, that serves the people of Hyderabad and the lower areas of Sindh province where it is the sole medical provider for 12,000 people in nearby villages. The hospital has a School of Midwifery and is owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hyderabad and managed by the Medical Board of the Diocese.
At the request of the chairman and administrator, a further report will be provided on the hospital and nursing facilities, with comments and recommendations, in an attempt to further support the work of Catholic health and aged care in Pakistan – a country with one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world and one of the smallest health budgets in terms of percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).
"There is much that can be done to assist the various Catholic health and aged care services in Pakistan. Assistance has begun already and no doubt will continue to flow from the various individual health and religious bodies in Australia," Ms McNally said.
"From the perspective of Catholic Health Australia (CHA), there is a valuable and important opportunity for support to be provided in those areas in which CHA already has developed resources, particularly in relation to assisting in and supporting the establishment of a Catholic Health Pakistan network or association."
Continue to read the full-unedited version: Extract - pages 40-42 only (pdf) or visit Catholic Health Australia (CHA)'s Health Matters Quarterly Magazine, Autumn 2014, Issue 69 online: Australian health delegation takes expertise to Pakistan - see pages 40-42
This article is courtesy of Catholic Health Australia (CHA).