[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) officially came into existence during 2004. The vision at Dow University of Health Sciences is to be an academic leader through generating creative, collaborative, contextual resources to enhance health by all possible means. The vision and mission, initially planned to be completed in 16 years have already been attained in 12 years, having foreign standards, as all major institutions and departments have already been ISO certified with ISO 9001-2008 through Vincotte International, Brussels.
More than 60 new establishments counting separate institutes and departments have been made to attain the vision, mission and targets.
Dow Medical College (DMC) is one of the most prestigious educational institutions of the country and renowned all over the world for the excellent quality of its alumni. It is one of the oldest medical colleges in Pakistan.
During December 2003, after the establishment of Dow University of Health Sciences, Dow Medical College became one of the constituent institutions of Dow University of Health Sciences.
To date almost 20,000 graduates have passed out of this institution and is serving with distinction in numerous capacities all over the world.
NILGID SERVICES
National Institute of Liver & GI Diseases (NILGID) was organized during May 2004. NILGID worked for about 10 years and offered services to about 100,000 patients.
NILGID has state-of-the-art endoscopic equipment and the faculty has the expertise to perform all the GI endoscopic procedures.
Almost 30-40 endoscopic procedures are being done daily that includes both the diagnostic also therapeutic procedures. In addition complex therapeutic procedures that involve fluoroscopy like ERCPs, stenting, dilatations, TIPSS etc. are also increasingly being performed in the unit.
Its endoscopy department offers round-the-clock coverage for all GI emergencies; the coverage also available during all public holidays. NILGID has a novel facility of Fibroscan and Elastograph machine through which liver stiffness and fibrosis is measured noninvasively.
NISOTT OFFERS
The National Institute of Solid Organ & Tissue Transplantation (NISOTT) Dow University of Health Sciences is organized during 2016 for offering excellent healthcare services, counting all solid organ as well tissue transplantation, at a very affordable cost for the poor to be benefited.
Its vision is to become a regional center of excellence in the field of transplantation also transplant research, offering services to the people and professional of the country, SAARC and Middle East region.
LIVER TRANSPLANT & HEPATOPANCREATOBILIARY SURGERY UNIT
Liver Transplant and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery section is first-ever unit of its kind in any public sector university of the country. The unit is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities counting operation theatres, ICU and wards. It has a team of Surgeons, Physicians, anaesthesiologists, intensivist, nurses and allied staff who are particularly trained to take care of Hepatopancreatobiliary & GI diseases and Liver Transplant patients. The unit in a very short time has become a referral center in the city for management of complex hepatopancreatobiliary diseases. The surgeries for all type of hepatobiliary issues counting laparoscopic cholecystectomies, CBD explorations, biliary tumors, gall bladder cancers, liver cancers and whipple procedures are routinely performed at very affordable price.
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GLOBAL HEALTH REVIEW
Experts revealed that that many states are moving from centralized to more localized health management systems and attempting to institute forms of universal coverage in a bid to tackle persistent variations in access and care quality.
However, shortages of clinical resources and infrastructure issues are making it increasingly difficult for health systems to sustain present levels of service and affordability. Indeed, the scale of the problems is probable to escalate internationally unless solutions are identified and adopted at scale.
Experts also calculated that global healthcare expenditure is predicted to grow from $7 trillion in 2015 to $8.7 trillion by 2020, (with the extent of the rise varying from 2.4 percent in Latin America, 4.3 percent in the US and 7.5 percent in the transition economies).
The elderly population (over 65 years of age) is anticipated to rise by 8 percent from 559 million during 2015 to 604 million during 2020.
The prevalence of dementia is predicted to rise in every region of the world with the total number predicted to double every 20 years (from 46.8 million during 2015 to 74.7 million by 2030).
Furthermore, chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory diseases are predicted to cost an estimated $4 trillion (50 percent) of worldwide health care expenditure in 2020.
The number of people suffering from diabetes is predicted to grow from 415 million in 2015 to 642 million in 2040 with China and India having the largest number of diabetes sufferers (some 110 million and 69 million respectively).
Internationally, a predicted 422 million adults were living with diabetes during 2014, as against to 108 million in 1980.
The global prevalence (age-standardized) of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980, growing from 4.7 percent to 8.5 percent in the adult population. Diabetes caused 1.5 million deaths during 2012. Higher-than-optimal blood glucose caused an extra 2.2 million deaths, by raising the risks of cardiovascular and other diseases. Forty-three percent of these 3.7 million deaths occur before the age of 70 years.