KARACHI: Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) has launched the e-Doctor Phase 2.0 programme aimed at training female doctors who left medical practice due to marriage or family responsibilities. This initiative enables them to provide online consultations using smartphones.
Started in 2018 through a collaboration between DUHS and Educast, the programme seeks to reintegrate women doctors into the healthcare sector. The Islamic Development Bank has recognized its value and is providing financial support.
Currently, more than 30,000 female MBBS graduates in Pakistan are not practicing medicine, resulting in an estimated economic loss of around Rs35 billion.
In its first phase, the programme successfully trained over 1,500 female doctors from 27 countries, partnering with institutions like Germany and Stanford University. The e-Doctor services have extended healthcare support to countries including Afghanistan, Yemen, Palestine, and Pakistan, and provided urgent digital medical aid during Pakistan’s recent floods.
Moreover, e-Doctor consultations are available on the Bridge platform, focusing on elderly care. The updated programme will offer 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, called the initiative a movement empowering female doctors to reconnect with their profession in a dignified and meaningful way.