LAHORE, Nov 5: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha has urged scientists to equip themselves with the latest knowledge and skills to cope with Newcastle disease in poultry, which is causing huge economic losses.

At the inaugural session of a national workshop on “Newcastle disease, its prevention and control” on the varsity campus on Monday, the VC said poultry industry was the second largest and fastest growing industry in the country, but facing serious challenges including Newcastle disease, which was causing a Rs7 billion economic loss to commercial farmers in Punjab alone.

He said the purpose of the conference was to make a combined strategy in collaboration with the industry to control and prevent the fatal disease. He identified farm-to-farm short distances, improper bio-security and lack of farm management skills as the real factors behind the spread of this disease.

The VC said the university was focusing on technology development and producing skilled human resources needed in livestock and allied industries. He assured the industry representatives that the university would provide all-out technical support to the industry and farmers to face challenges.

dialysis unit: Postgraduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Dr Anjam Habib Vohra has said Lahore General Hospital’s dialysis unit upgrade at a cost of Rs15 million will be complete within three months span with the financial help of LGH Anjuman Behboodi-i-Marizan (ABM).

He said the 16 dialysis machines that were functional at the LGH were not enough for the patients and increasing their number to 26 would be a great help for them.

He said after completion of the project, the LGH unit would become the largest air-conditioned dialysis unit of the country. With the installation of 10 new machines, the number of patients availing dialysis facility at the LGH, which is presently about 150, would be doubled and they would also be saved from long wait for the facility.

Dr Vohra said the ABM was doing a great job for the welfare of poor patients and it enjoyed the patronage of a large number of generous donors.

Professor of Urology Dr Ahmed Salman Waris said on the occasion that one time dialysis process cost a patient up to Rs3,000 whereas they had to go through this treatment twice or thrice a week which was not easy to afford.

The LGH was providing this facility free of cost to deserving patients, he said.