16 February 2004	Monday	24 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 15: Doctors on Sunday delivered nine keynote lectures while 44 papers were read out by researchers in various disciplines during the third day of the Dow Medical College Symposium 2004.

Dr Javed Akhtar, an endocrinologist, said that prevalence of diabetes was rapidly increasing and Pakistan had the 8th largest number of patients in the world, adding the number of patients could rise dramatically if proper preventive strategies were not adopted.

Stressing the need for adopting appropriate dietary measures, he said the people needed to change their lifestyle, adding that exercise was vital to reduce the disease's threat.

Dr Abdul Jabbar Ara introduced a new concept of diabetic education - communication for behavioural changes - to improve the health education. Prof Anwar Gillani elaborated upon the value of food as medicine while Dr Afia Zafar spoke about measures to prevent the increasing bacterial resistance in hospitalised patients.

Participants of the symposium recommended adoption of ethical principles in medical research, saying there was a need to set up ethics committees in all institutions under the National Bio-Ethics Committee, adding that the medical education should be based upon ethical considerations, including equity in health service delivery.

They also called upon educational institutions to simultaneously promote education and research. They also emphasised that the medical research should be aimed at finding cost-effective medical solutions in the country besides strengthening public institutions through provision of reliable human resources and services to build their credibility. -PPI