HYDERABAD, Aug 29: The Department of Medicine, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, in collaboration with the Infectious Diseases Society of Pakistan, organized a one-day symposium on diseases at the university hospital on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Jan Mohammad Memon, said infectious diseases had become common and multiplying with the passage of each day due to many reasons.

He said the government was spending a major portion of the health budget on the purchase of antibiotics and laboratory investigations.

He said no one was immune from infectious diseases as the diseases attacked every age group and at all places.

Prof Allah Bachayo Memon, dean, faulty of medicine, spoke on the spread of hepatitis-B and stressed the need for setting up modern laboratories for diagnostic purposes.

Prof Rafique Soomro, dean, faculty of public health, said the people and even doctors failed to adopt preventive measures such as washing of hands, taking balanced diet, drinking safe water, disposing of hospital wastes in a scientific manner and controlling stray dogs.

Dr Maqsood Bhatti said urinary tract infections were very common and usually ignored.

Dr Nayyarul Islam said municipal authorities had failed to take proper measures to kill stray dogs. He said the quantity of anti-rabies vaccines supplied to government hospitals was inadequate although it was a life saving drug.

Dr Mohammad Wassay and Dr Afiya Zafar of the Aga Khan University, said they would undertake a tour of the country to create awareness among the people about infectious diseases.