ABBOTTABAD: Sports medicine is a specialised field that should be made part of health education in Pakistan, said renowned consultant of sports medicine, Dr Zafar Iqbal, while addressing an interactive session titled “can sports medicine really make a difference to an athlete’s performance and improve the health of the nation” here on Friday.

The session was organised in collaboration with the Department of Medical Education of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, here on Friday. A number of orthopaedic surgeons, general surgeons and representatives of sports organisations attended the seminar.

Associate dean and co-coordinator Dr Noaman Siddique briefed the participants about objectives of the event while Prof Umer Farooq, dean of Ayub Medical College, presided over the closing session.

Keynote speaker Dr Zafar Iqbal said in his presentation that due to specialised role of sports medicine the playing life of every sportsman could be increased with less chances of injuries which otherwise cost higher to the clubs and teams in case of losing the services of players.

Sports medicine helps to improve strength of a player with quicker reaction on the ground due to selection of special diet and daily exercise plan for improvement of tissues of the body.

Dr Zafar Iqbal, who is currently engaged with Crystal Palace Football Club, UK, as consultant, said the response time to injury of any player was fixed at less than a minute and many lives of sportsmen had been saved especially in case of cardiac issues.

He stressed on proper training of coaches and physical trainers to deal with sports injuries.

POLICE CAMPAIGN: Over 2,000 vans and other vehicles used for transportation of schoolchildren have been fined in Hazara division for overloading and violation of safety protocols against Covid-19.

According to a press release issued by the DIG office, at least 865 vehicles were impounded and warning issued to 731 others over violation of the safety protocols and overloading.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2020