Nearly 60 percent of doctors suffer from burnout, while suicide rates among physicians are almost twice as high as those of the general population, but only about one third ever seek professional help, health experts warned at a scientific symposium that questioned who heals Pakistan’s healers when the healthcare system itself relies on their exhaustion.
Cardiologists and mental health experts said long working hours, heavy patient loads, chronic sleep deprivation, traffic congestion, smog and a deeply embedded culture of endurance are leaving doctors with little time for self care, turning physicians into what they described as the most neglected patients within the healthcare system.
The concerns were raised at Life in a Metro, a nationwide scientific symposium organised under Mediverse, an academic initiative of Hudson Pharma Pakistan, which focuses on evidence based healthcare while addressing the growing physical and mental health challenges faced by doctors working in metropolitan cities.
The session was moderated by Dr Saniya Javaid, who highlighted that stress levels among doctors are particularly high in large urban centres such as Lahore. She noted that seasonal factors, including winter depression intensified by fog and smog, further worsen anxiety, low mood and emotional fatigue among healthcare professionals.
Delivering the first keynote address, Dr M Rehan Omar Siddiqui, interventional cardiologist, internal medicine specialist and diabetologist at National Medical Center and LYFE Healthcare, described physician burnout as a silent global crisis that is increasingly visible in Pakistan as well.
Citing international data, he said around 60pc of doctors experience burnout, while suicide rates among physicians are nearly double those of the general population. Despite this, only about one third of doctors seek professional support, with many continuing to work while ill and relying on self diagnosis instead of proper medical care.
Dr Siddiqui said doctors frequently suffer from depression, anxiety, substance misuse, poor diet, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation and neglected medical check ups, despite advising patients to prioritise these very behaviours. He identified time constraints, guilt, stigma and a so called “superhuman” or macho mindset as major barriers preventing doctors from acknowledging vulnerability.
Using the airline oxygen mask analogy, he stressed that doctors must care for themselves before they can effectively care for others. “We talk about ‘do no harm’, yet many doctors are quietly harming themselves,” he said, warning that institutions often detach from physicians after years of sacrifice, leaving them isolated at retirement or illness.
He urged healthcare professionals to prioritise adequate sleep, daily physical activity, balanced nutrition, mindfulness and emotional well being, while calling on hospital leadership to promote teamwork, delegation and realistic workloads. “A healthy doctor provides better care. Staying healthy is not a luxury, it is a professional responsibility,” he said.
The second keynote speaker, Dr Kulsoom Haider, consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist, focused on emotional resilience, explaining that mental and physical health are deeply interconnected. She noted that depression and anxiety are among the most common psychiatric illnesses globally, with anxiety currently ranking as the leading mental health condition worldwide.
Dr Haider explained how emotional distress, when left unaddressed, often manifests physically, reinforcing the idea that the body retains emotional experiences. She outlined how intense stress can override rational thinking through neurological responses and, if prolonged, may lead to serious physical consequences, including stress induced cardiac injury.
She emphasised emotional regulation through mindfulness, controlled breathing, emotional labeling and gratitude practices, urging doctors to adopt simple daily routines that restore balance. “Emotions cannot be selectively suppressed. If ignored, they find another way out, often through the body,” she said.
During the panel discussion, Dr Mimpal Singh observed that doctors often forget to live their own lives while caring for others, while Dr Madiha Sanai stressed the importance of positive thinking and emotional awareness in sustaining resilience.
In his vote of thanks, Khawaja Ahad Uddin, General Manager Marketing and Sales at Hudson Pharma, said healthcare professionals were more important than any product, acknowledging that metropolitan life places immense strain on doctors. He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to continuous medical education and physician well being through initiatives such as Mediverse.
Ahad Uddin warned that unless physician burnout, emotional exhaustion and self neglect are addressed urgently, the sustainability and quality of healthcare itself will remain at risk, cautioning that a system cannot heal patients if it continues to break its healers.
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