KARACHI, Feb 27: Alarming levels of infections across the country with little consideration to arrest the scenario is increasingly exposing people to a wide range of ailments.
Dr. Altaf Ahmed of Liaquat National Hospital in his presentation during a session on Oncology and Hematology held as part of 40th Annual Medical Symposium at JPMC here on Thursday expressed concern over surge of bacterial infections in almost all parts of the country with locals noticed to responding little to a wide-range of antibiotics available in the market.
Water contamination, air pollution, absolute disregard to hygiene at all levels, inefficient and poor management of waste disposal (generated through varied sources) and also indifference on the part of many of local health care providers towards cleanliness and appropriate hygienic practices were attributed as major contributory factors towards the condition.
Dr. Altaf particularly referred to absence of any antibiotic policy in a majority of local hospitals regretting that it prevents many physicians to prescribe a drug regimen in accordance with pathogens of virus.
He also referred to resistance growing pattern among locals towards varied antibiotics and particularly reminded that recent sensitivity data shows a certain resistance among locals against penicillin.
The speakers, mentioning good infection control practices to arrest the situation, also underscored the need for educating both patients and doctors regarding implications of irrational drug therapy.
He was supported by Dr. Mohammad Irfan of Jinnah Post- Graduate Medical Centre who in his presentation on Stem-Cell Transplantation among Aplastic Anaemia patients said the condition, generally affecting locals at much younger age, besides being idiopathic in nature could also be attributed to indiscriminate use of drugs, mainly those comprising metal-based kushtas prescribed by Hakims.
In 50 per cent of cases, it was found to be due to contaminated water, indiscriminate use of drugs and infections while in other 50 per cent cases, the cause was idiopathic, he elaborated.
Dr Syed Irfan and Dr Tahir in their respective presentations on Stem Cell Transplantation and Impact on A-Plastianaemia and B-Thalassaemia mentioned transplantation as only viable option for the condition, adding that process performed in Pakistan is as good as in any other part of the world.
Both the speakers claimed that the survival rate among their respective patients remained above 80 per cent, adding that this provided a quality life to many.
Those who can go for transplantation must go for it as the only available treatment for blood cancer is stem cell blood transplantation, Dr. Irfan said.
Dr. Naila Zahid, in her presentation on Breast Cancer, reminding the sudden increase of the condition among local women at quite young age, suggested regular screening for early detection and timely intervention.
Later during the concluding session of the three-day annual medical symposium, its secretary Dr. Aleem Kadar presented an overview of the final day of scientific programme.
Two memorial lectures, one dedicated to late Prof. Muniruddin and the other dedicated to late Prof S A Hamid, were delivered by Brig. M Saleem and Prof. Adibul Hasan Rizvi.
A total of 203 research papers were presented during the two scientific programmes besides 27 state-of-art and memorial lectures by senior medical experts from across the country.
Panel discussions, seminars and national nursing symposia were also important segments of the 40th Medical Symposium of JPMC.—APP