DEPARTMENT OF PULMONOLOGY

AYUB TEACHING HOSPITAL, ABBOTTABAD

OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT:

The Department of Pulmonology started functioning in Ayub Teaching Hospital Complex Abbottabad since 1997. It is the 1st functional Department of Pulmonology Department established in Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pulmonology Department of Ayub Teaching Hospital Complex is providing diagnostic and therapeutic services to a vast majority of population of Hazara   division, Kohistan, Northern areas and people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Management of Chest diseases was being done effectively with the exception of MDR-TB (Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis). As we did not have facility for diagnosis and non-availability of drugs for MDR the poor emaciated patients had to travel all the way from remote areas of Hazara division to Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar on monthly intervals. Most of the patients who were very sick refused to go to Peshawar despite of our full motivation due to long tedious journey and the treatment was interrupted. With the help of national TB program and co –operation  of administration  (Ayub Teaching Hospital Complex Abbottabad) we were ultimately able to  establish a full fledge MDR-TB unit in may 2013, with the facility of Gene-Xpert (Sensitive and advance test for diagnosis of MDR-TB).

The MDR-TB unit is providing free diagnosis for suspected MDR-TB patients on the basis of Gene-Expert and sputum AFB culture and sensitivity. For diagnosed patients, Ayub Teaching Hospital Complex is providing free investigations both base line and two years follow up the investigation.

The diagnosed patients are provided with free medication for a period of approximately 20 to 24 months. (Cost per patient is 12 to 14 lac rupees provided by Global fund including food basket and traveling incentives).

A seprate  ten beds ward (both male and female) for MDR-TB patients has been established. A total number of 233 MDR-Tb patients are registered out of which 90 patients have been cured.

GENE XPERT

Gene-Expert is a highly sensitive test for detection of MTB and in addition it also detects sensitivity/Resistance to Rifampicin. This test is done on sputum, bronchial wash, pleural fluid and cerebrospinal fluid as well. Gene-Xpert provides the result within two hours.

AVAILABLE SERVICES

The following services are provided in Pulmonology Department Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad.

1). Bronchoscopy

2). Pleural Procedures

3). Spirometry

Bronchoscopy:

This is a procedure in which we see the vocal cards, trachea, bronchi and lungs from inside with the help of bronchoscope machine. Previously we had conventional bronchoscope but now we are having video assisted bronchoscope machine. We can perform biopsies of tumors and take samples of bronchial wash from inside the lungs. We perform this procedure twice a week. Patients are prepared and given time according to the list. Patients are referred from DHQ Hospitals of Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, and Battagram and also from northern areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

bronchoscopy

INDICATIONS OF BRONCHOSCOPY

Diagnostic

Mostly we do Bronchoscopy for diagnosis of Tuberculosis, malignancy and interstitial lung disease. To reach the diagnosis we either take the biopsy or take bronchial wash.

Therapeutic

In such cases the patients are severe asthmatic or COPD who doesn’t respond to conventional treatment and require suction of mucus plug and secretions inside the lungs.

Prognostic

Especially for those patients having endo bronchial tumors receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy. Whenever required by the concerned department.

Head of Department

Dr.Amir Suleman

Dr.Amir Suleman is the head of department of Pulmonology department Ayub Teaching Hospital. He belongs to Tehsil Shabqadar Fort ,District Charsaddah Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He did his matriculation from Saint mary’s High School Peshawar and FSc from Edwards College Peshawar.

He did MBBS from Khyber Medical College Peshawar session 1989-90. House job from Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar. After House Job he joined Army Medical Corps (AMC) and spent  03 months in Pakistan Military Academy. Then he did regular service for 06 years in Pakistan Army. He served in Kashmir, Siachen and also served in UN Peace keeping mission in South America (Haiti) for one year.

He resigned from Army and did his post graduation from Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar.

He got specialized in MCPS Chest in 2002 and FCPS Chest in 2006. Currently he is working as Head of Pulmonology Department, Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT MESSAGE

This message is for awareness of general public about respiratory diseases.

  1. Anybody who has cough for more then two weeks needs proper investigation and should not be taken lightly.
  2. Anybody who has got TB patient at their home or who is working in a hospital or who is diabetic, HIV positive or is taking some immunosuppressive drugs will need Gene-Xpert to exclude MDR-TB. Simple sputum AFB staining test will not be sufficient and may miss drug resistant TB. As it is very difficult to obtain sputum from children so if a single sample is collected it should be considered very precious and should be directly sent for Gene-Xpert as it is more sensitive than routine sputum sampling for AFB. Those patients who are on first line Anti-TB drugs if they develop visual changes, pain abdomen severe rash or itching and vertigo (dizziness) decrease hearing they should immediately stop drugs and should report to the doctor concerned.
  3. Many people of (Hazara Division) are working in coal mines and crush machines or crushing stones anywhere manually doesn’t know about the consequences of serious occupational hazards . They should take proper precautions and should do X-Ray and other investigations (including Spirometry) to diagnose the disease at early stage.
  4. Smoking should be avoided as it is the root cause of many respiratory and non-respiratory diseases.
  5. In Hazara Division we are getting many patients of interstitial lung disease due to keeping pets like Pigeons and Parrots (Birds fancier’s lung disease) ultimate result of which is respiratory failure and death and many patients may be needing long term Oxygen therapy due to respiratory failure. Unfortunately this serious issue has not been highlighted in electronic or print media as compared to smoking.

Unfortunately in Hazara Division we are getting many patients of COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) due to burning of coal and  wood at home due to non availability of Sui Gas . The people should also be educated about this issue.

OPD SCHEDULE

The OPD is done thrice a week i-e on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The OPD starts at 08:00 am in the morning and continues up till 02:00 pm in the afternoon.

The OPD on Monday and Wednesday is supervised by Dr.Amir Suleman Head of Pulmonology Department and the OPD on Friday is supervised by Senior Registrar.