Underused Handheld Ultrasound in General Practice: A Pakistani Demand for Change

We wish to highlight a critical gap in Pakistan’s clinical practice—the underutilisation of handheld point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices, such as the Butterfly iQ, particularly in outpatient settings managed by general practitioners (GPs). Globally, including in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and parts of Asia, handheld ultrasound devices are increasingly crucial to general practice. These compact, high-resolution instruments are transforming frontline care by allowing real-time assessment of common conditions—abdominal pain, urinary retention, pleural effusion, soft tissue injuries, and early pregnancy viability—often eliminating the need immediate radiology referrals.¹⁻²