ISLAMABAD, May 9: Malaria takes its toll of thousands of human lives every year, especially in the rural areas of Pakistan.

This was stated by the speakers on the second day of a three- day seminar on “Serious Health Hazards” being held at a local hotel.

The participants were informed that malaria was still a major problem of the developing countries. A Q Javed, Chief Pharmacist Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), said malaria was caused by a microbe Plasmodium foliciparam carried by a mosquito. He said malaria was very common in rural areas of Pakistan that killed thousands of people every year.

Dr Nighat Bilal, consultant physician Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, touched upon the preventive measures of malaria, its treatment and cure.

Dr Kakar presented the concept of RBM (Roll Back Malaria) in detail and said RBM was an initiative of the partnership of countries with endemic malaria. He said it was considered as beginning of a social movement to bring malaria under control.

On TB (tuberculosis), the speakers impressed upon the health educators to create public awareness of the disease, otherwise the epidemic would go out of control.

The day closed with the starting of work on guidelines on malaria, TB and hepatitis. These guidelines will be published for public soon after completion. The committees have already been formed to formulate recommendations for both the government and the public.

About 200 eminent scholars, researchers, doctors, pharmacists, scientists from WHO, NIH, Drug Control Administration, ministry of health, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Shifa International Hospital, PIMS, Islamabad, Department of Biological Sciences (Microbiology lab), Quaid-i- Azam University, NORI, Islamabad, NIFA, Peshawar, KRL Hospital, Islamabad, PINSTECH, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Gulab Devi Hospital, Lahore, AFIC, Rawalpindi, The Network, Heartfile, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Federal Government Services Hospital, Islamabad, Rawalpindi Medical College, Pakistan Hypertension League, Pakistan Society of Hematology, Rawalians Research Forum, Foundation for the Preferment of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Children Hospital, Lahore, attended the conference.