April 20, 2006	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 21, 1427

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QUETTA, April 19: The seventh biennial International Chest Conference “Pondering for a Healthier Tomorrow” began here on Wednesday night. Balochistan Chief Secretary K. B. Rind inaugurated the four-day conference.

About 400 delegates from all over the country and India, Britain, Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal and Saudi Arabia are participating in the conference.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Mr Rind urged doctors to make joint efforts to fight against fatal diseases that were badly affecting humanity. He said it was a matter of great concern that Third World countries were facing health care problems where the mother and child mortality rate was high and people were not getting proper medical facilities.

He said that Balochistan, which was the least-developed province of the country, was also facing lack of medical care facilities. “Doctors and other medical staff are not available in rural areas of Balochistan,” he said and added that despite limited resources the provincial government was making all possible efforts to provide maximum medical health care to the people.

The chief secretary said that the government was striving to fulfil its responsibilities but it was also the responsibility of all segments of the society to come forward and play their role to help the government in its efforts.

He said that public-private partnership could also play an important role in health projects.

He said that smoking and air pollution were also creating heath problems while mine workers were suffering from tuberculosis and asthma and other chest diseases due to lack of facilities.

Mr Rind said that the conference would help in creating awareness among the people about chest and other diseases. He said that the media

should also play its role in this regard.

He assured participants of the conference that whenever the provincial government would receive recommendations of the conference it would be implemented. Earlier, President of Pakistan Chest Society Dr S. M. Naeem Agha presented the welcome address in which he highlighted the aims and objectives of the conference.