KARACHI: Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) has introduced the e-Doctor Phase 2.0 programme to train female doctors who left medical practice due to marriage or family responsibilities, enabling them to provide consultations online via smartphones.
The initiative, started in 2018 through a partnership between DUHS and Educast, aims to bring women doctors back into the medical profession. Recognizing its potential, the Islamic Development Bank has provided financial support for the project.
Reports indicate that over 30,000 female MBBS graduates in Pakistan are currently not practicing medicine, leading to an estimated loss of around Rs35 billion to the national economy.
In its first phase, the programme trained more than 1,500 female doctors from 27 countries in collaboration with Germany and Stanford University. The e-Doctor services have been used to provide healthcare in countries including Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine, and Pakistan. The programme also offered immediate digital medical assistance during Pakistan’s recent floods.
Additionally, e-Doctor consultations have been made available on the Bridge platform for elderly care. The updated programme will offer modern online certification, observational training at partner clinics, and access to virtual clinics, allowing patients to consult doctors remotely via smartphones.
Prof Dr Jahan Ara Hasan, Acting Vice Chancellor of DUHS, described the programme as a movement helping female doctors reconnect with their profession in a dignified manner.
