MULTAN, Feb 21: British researcher Prof Dr Paul Jones said quoting a study that a fertiliser plant, ginning factories and massive pesticide use were among reasons for a high asthma ratio in Multan.

Delivering a lecture on ‘Asthma insight and reality in Pakistan’ at a local hotel on Tuesday, Dr Jones, a professor in respiratory medicine at Saint George’s University, London, UK, said some 0.2 million people died from asthma all over the world every year. Pakistan’s five per cent urban population was suffering from asthma, he added.

He stated that incidence of asthma was the highest in Multan followed by Karachi. The study was also conducted in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Quetta.

He was assisted by Asst Prof Dr Zubair Shaheen of Nishtar Medical College Multan.

Dr Jones said according to a study conducted by a research organisation, AC Nielsen, in Multan a fertiliser factory was the main source of asthma. The study further indicated that ginning factories and massive use of pesticides were also among major reasons for high asthma ratio in the region, he observed.

He stressed upon the need to create public awareness about proper diagnosis and treatment of asthma.—APP