HYDERABAD, Dec 2: The Faculty of Medicine and Public Health, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences on Friday organised a seminar on ‘Haemorrhagic Fever’ at the city hall of the university hospital here.

Speaking as chief guest, the university’s vice-chancellor Professor Jan Mohammad Memon dwelt at length on the symptoms and cure of the disease and added that an isolated ward had been set up in the hospital for such patients.

He said he had appointed teams of doctors headed by senior professors to help in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. They will also educate people about preventive measures.

He said that pathology and ophthalmology departments will be upgraded into centres of excellence with the support of the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad.

Professor Ashraf Khaskheli spoke about various types of viruses causing haemorrhagic fever.

He said the virus “disturbs the clotting properties of blood which causes haemorrhage from nose, mouth and intestine”.

Professor Rafique Ahmed Soomro said there were more than ten types of this fever but Congo and Dengue were the most dangerous. They have been recently detected in Pakistan.

He said the virus is transmitted by insects and Egyptian mosquitoes. He told the seminar that the ailments were prevalent in Iran, Iraq, Thailand, Burma, Saudi Arabia and African countries.

Professor Allah Bachayo Memon advised people to use mosquito nets and mosquito repellents.

Dr Anwar Memon said that Dengue fever was common among children and younger people. He, however, added that it was less severe than Congo. “It can be diagnosed by screening the blood of patients.”

Previously this fever was detected in Hazara division and some other parts of the country, he added.