Lack of Incentives for Emergency Specialists Weakens Patient Care in KP

Emergency Care in KP Faces Critical Challenges

Health experts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are raising alarms over the absence of financial and career incentives for emergency medicine specialists, warning that this gap is directly undermining patient care in hospitals across the province.

A senior doctor at a major teaching hospital explained that emergency physicians rely solely on their salaries since they cannot engage in private practice. Unlike specialists in surgery, pediatrics, or internal medicine, emergency doctors lack promotion prospects and lucrative packages, discouraging many from choosing this vital field.

This shortage has left emergency departments underdeveloped. Experts argue that these units should be granted academic status like other medical departments, enabling stronger trauma services that could be replicated in militancy-affected and disaster-prone areas.

The problem is compounded by brain drain. One highly experienced emergency specialist, who had served in the UK for 15 years, improved services at Lady Reading Hospital but eventually left Pakistan due to inadequate incentives. Several of his trainees also migrated abroad, where emergency physicians receive far better compensation.

KP’s vulnerability to terror incidents, floods, and road traffic accidents makes the need for skilled emergency doctors even more urgent. Experts stress that stronger emergency care could reduce mortality linked to trauma, maternal complications, and cardiovascular emergencies such as strokes and heart attacks.

Institutions like Khyber Medical University Hospital and Research Centre are working to establish emergency departments across their campuses. Plans include basic life support training for staff and skill development programs to enhance trauma management. Experts emphasize that well-equipped emergency departments, supported by efficient patient transport systems, are essential to saving lives.

The call from health professionals is clear: without proper incentives, Pakistan risks losing its emergency specialists to foreign countries, leaving critical patients without timely care. Strengthening emergency medicine through better pay, career growth, and training is vital to improving survival rates and building resilience in KP’s healthcare system.