ISLAMABAD: The first bariatric surgery unit in the twin cities was inaugurated at the Capital Hospital on Friday to deal with the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity.

According to a press release issued by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the unit was inaugurated by the Executive Director of the hospital, Dr Fayaz Lodhi.

According to the statement, Dr Lodhi said that medical problems including diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, depression and other illnesses are challenges of today’s world and that a trained bariatric surgery team will be addressing the problems faced by morbidly obese patients and help them minimise the costs incurred during procedures.

A symposium on obesity and metabolic surgery was organised at the Capital Hospital as well in which obesity and weight loss were discussed.

Dr Nadia Ahmed from the American Board of Obesity Medicine talked about the need for metabolic surgery and described the different classes of obesity.

Head of the surgery department at Capital Hospital Dr Naeem Taj also talked about surgical procedures for treating obesity and the role of surgery in curing Type 2 diabetes. He emphasised on the need for trained surgeons, physicians, dieticians and psychologists for addressing the problems of obese people.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2016