LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Sardar Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak says the poultry industry is providing employment/business opportunities to 1.5m people and it is a major source of food and nutrition for the public.

He has promised solid steps for boosting poultry industry for ensuring availability of hygienic and healthy source of protein.

He was addressing a seminar on ‘polycystic ovary syndrome: diet and lifestyles’ at the Institute of Public Health (IPH).

The seminar was organised in collaboration of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) on Tuesday.

Besides, IPH Board of Management chairman retired Lt Gen Khalid Maqbool, IPH Dean Prof Dr Zarfishan Tahir, UVAS VC Prof Nasim Ahmad, Prof Robina Suhail, Dr Atif Muneer, president of Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), representatives of different institutions and nutrition experts and a large number of medical students attended the seminar.

Addressing the seminar, Ms Robina explained the reasons of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women, especially young girls, saying obesity in women was an epidemic of 21st century. She said tendency of PCOS was more common among young girls.

Ms Rubina said there was a lot of difference between healthy and a fat body and added that infertility was a major result of the PCOS and obesity.

“By adopting a healthy lifestyle, physical exercise, jogging, use of a balanced diet, one can overcome these issues,” Dr Rubina added.

Khalid Maqbool said that without providing equal facilities of health and education to women our society could prosper. He was of the view that without scientific proof one should not propagate about poultry products; however, poultry association itself should get some certification of their products from international scientific organisations and a system of checks and balances on food items must be there.

Dr Zarfishan said that according to the government policy, the IPH would continue performing its role for prevention and control of diseases and scientific seminars and workshops would be on our agenda.

UVAS VC Prof Nasim Ahmad said the PCOS was a very common disease in young girls at the age of puberty and it later caused infertility; however, use of hormones or any other harmful chemicals in poultry feed was not proved scientifically.

Dr Atif Munir of the FMH said poultry meat had nothing to do with the obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women/girls and it was just a myth that poultry meat had some harmful ingredients. He said women/girls should change their lifestyle, adopt physical activities like jogging and walk etc and discard junk food to avoid such complications.

Representatives of the PPA and other experts also addressed the seminar.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2020