KARACHI: Steps urged to check respiratory ailments
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 9: Speakers at a conference stressed the need for sustained and sincere political commitment, interaction between different health bodies, and regular supply of high quality drugs on affordable prices for control of respiratory diseases, particularly tuberculosis.
They also expressed concern over poor state of advocacy about chest diseases and their control and inadequacy of occupational health hazard laws and viewed that changes could be possible through pressure groups on preventive issues as well.
The conference on “chest diseases and tuberculosis”, organized by Sindh chapter of Pakistan Chest Society, began here on Saturday at a hotel for two days. About 15 senior physicians and professionals from the country and region are expected to make presentations on different topics, including management of tuberculosis, role of surgery in TB, current updates in the diagnosis of tuberculosis,
Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of the conference, the vice-chancellor of the Dow University of Health Science, Prof Masood Hameed Khan, said lack of education among patients and below the mark training of paramedics contributed to slow elimination or control of diseases, like TB, chest diseases and asthma.
He said that the Dow University had already formulated a programme for medical technologists, which would be launched on May 15.
In a special lecture, dedicated to one of the pioneers in the field of chest diseases, late Prof Dr Zakaullah Beg, a senior physician Dr Arshad Javed from Peshawar, discussed the problems in managing respiratory diseases in the country.
He said most of the health-related problems had emerged from poverty illiteracy, lack of resources, population and poor planning.
He highlighted the state of affairs related to TB, Asthma, COPD and Occupational Lung diseases.
According to him, the prevalence of TB with a rate of 177, out of 100,000, was very high and had emerged as a major threat which could be addressed only through timely detection of cases.
There is hardly any awareness about respiratory problems among the government quarters and general public, he remarked, saying no legislation for control measures and compensation existed in the country.
He also referred to the plight of coal-mine workers, pollutants generated by hundreds of brick kilns using coal and rubber, promotional measures in regard to use of tobacco.
Dr Syed Mohammad Naeem Agha, the president of central body of PCS, said in Pakistan high population rate, heavy traffic load, pollution based respiratory diseases, tobacco menace asthma and chest diseases were on alarming pace, which could be checked only through frequent scientific and academic efforts.
Dr Nadeem Rizvi, President of PCS, Sindh, said in the last few years, his society in Sindh had done a tremendous amount of work to increase awareness amongst doctors and the general public regarding various common respiratory ailments.
Speaking at the technical session of the conference, the manager of National TB Control Programme, Dr Karam Shah, said TB had been prioritized on the health agenda of the government, while there had been an upward trend in funds allocation.
Dr. Khurshed Zaman said multiple drug resistance was threatening tuberculosis control programmes. Dr Amir Bilal discussed the role of surgery in tuberculosis. Dr Ghazala Ansari, Dr Javed A khan, Dr Sohail Akhtar, Dr M Hussain also spoke during the first day of the conference.
