‘Kindness, empathy help in patient’s recovery while arrogance kills’

ISLAMABAD: Healthcare providers need to use kind words in soft voice and show empathy towards patients as people only go to the hospitals when they are in pain and require love and affection in addition to proper medical treatment, health experts said on Sunday.

“Kind words, soft voice and empathy is the perfect recipe for the cure and treatment of patients while arrogant physicians and healthcare workers lose their ability to effectively treat sick people”, Prof. Shahzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor, Health Services Academy (HSA) said while speaking at launching of thematic calendar titled ‘languages of love’.

The 25th thematic calendar titled “Mohabat Ki Zubaneyn” carrying introduction of 12 leading languages spoken in entire Pakistan has been prepared by the Jahan-e-Maseeha Adbi Forum (JMAF), an off-shoot of pharmaceutical firm PharmEvo and its launching ceremony was addressed and attended by renowned literary personalities as well as top healthcare professionals from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

A Mushaira was also held at the unveiling ceremony of the thematic calendar, which was presided over by renowned poet Iftikhar Arif, while several other poets including inam-ul-Haq Javed, Afzal Khan, Ajmal Siraj and other also presented their poetry and verses.

Prof. Shahzad Ali Khan maintained that pain and agony compel a sick person to go a healthcare provider but the patient equally needs empathy and kindness in addition to proper medical treatment of diseases. “Studies have shown that kindness and empathy fuel recovery of the patients while arrogance, harshness and cold attitude by the healthcare providers often delay recovery and even result in deaths of the patients”, Prof. Khan observed.

Lauding the Jahan-e-Maseeha Adbi Forum and pharmaceutical firm PharmEvo for selecting ‘languages of love’ as the theme of their 25th calendar, he said there is a saying that hospital walls have heard more prayers then worship places including mosques, churches and temples and urged healthcare providers to talk softly to patients and their attendants who need encouragement and empathy.

He maintained that fine arts has an important connection with scientific innovations as most of the scientific innovations came from Eastern Europe which was hub of art and literature and urged doctors, nurses and paramedics to spare some time for studying literature, listening to music and indulging in some healthy activity.

Advising healthcare providers especially doctors and nurses to learn as much languages as possible, he said talking to patients and their attendants in their own languages also increase their confidence on healthcare providers, adding that nowadays people were losing their faith in doctors and healthcare providers due to their commercial attitude and approach.

Renowned poet Iftikhar Arif lauded Jahen-e-Maseeha Adbi Forum for their efforts in promoting art and literature among Pakistani physicians as well as common people, saying it was commendable to see some people and organizations which are striving hard to promote art, literature, book reading culture, poetry and linguistics in the country. “Jahan-e-Maseeha Adbi Forum is the off-shoot of pharmaceutical firm PharmEvo, which is promoting literature and poetry in the country. Creation of thematic calendars on diversified themes after months and years of research is a commendable effort”, Iftikhar Arif added. He said launch of a literacy piece on the theme of uniting people of Pakistan through languages of lover on 16th December was a commendable effort as it will the nation to learn from the past mistakes.

Prominent poet, journalist and linguist Ajmal Siraj said after a year-long research, they had come up with a thematic calendar on the theme of Pakistani languages, saying their research revealed that most of the regional languages in Pakistan were not only stable but they were evolving and progressing with the creation of literature and poetry in them. He maintained that Pakistani regional languages were playing an important role in cultural diversity and keeping the country united, adding that as a multi-lingual country, Pakistan was contributing to the high quality literature and poetry on globally.

Deputy CEO of the pharmaceutical firm PharmEvo Syed Jamshaid Ahmed said for the last 24 years, they were preparing thematic calendars, holding book fairs, publishing books on art, literature and poetry and holding Mushairas to promote the soft image of Pakistan and promote ethics in the field of medicine marketing. “It is the 25th calendar in 24 years history of PharmEvo. We started as a small company and now we are the 17th largest company in Pakistan, which believes in ethics, healthy competition and creation of a healthy society”, he added.

He maintained that they were among only three companies which were WHO –prequalified and producing medicines of international standards. He also felicitated the team behind creation of thematic calendar, saying it takes several months and even years to conduct research for coming up with pieces of art and literature and added that they were trying to create a positive impact on the society.