1413 Experience of Child Protection Unit at Children Hospital Lahore

Abstract

Background: In Pakistan there is no mandatory reporting of Child Abuse cases and no system exists to manage a child victim of any kind of abuse. The law enforcing agencies are apathetic, and the Social Welfare Department is completely inactive. Methods: In order to optimally manage cases of Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Rights and Abuse Committee of Pakistan Pediatric Association and Pahchaan initiated a series of trainings for doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals with support form Save the Children Sweden and established a Hospital Child Protection Committee at Children Hospital Lahore in 2004. International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) supported this initiative through exchange training program with Child Protection Unit, Manila. Since last five years the Child Protection Committee has been detecting cases and providing medical, psychological, social and legal support to the victims of child abuse. The initiative has gained acceptance in the country and has already been replicated in 15 hospitals and Children Hospital Lahore as the first Child Protection Unit in South Asia. Results: Over the last three years the project managed to detect and manage about 380 cases of Child Abuse. Of these more than 350 were provided psychological care while 244 were given Social support. Financial help was offered to 65 patients. The major challenge is in obtaining legal support for the patients. Conclusion: This paper describes the achievements and challenges faced by the committee in its transition to Child Protection Unit.