|
Respiratory infections are the leading cause
of death in the developing world, responsible for 45 per cent of
all deaths and 55 per cent of child mortality. This was stated by
Dr Ali Bin Sarwar Zubairi, Consultant Chest Physician at Aga Khan
University Hospital (AKUH), while giving a presentation on 'Prevention
of Lung Diseases'. Dr Zubairi was speaking at 'Signs, Symptoms and
Care', a health awareness programme organised by the University
in Karachi on January 29, 2005.
 |
| The
panellists discuss prevention of lung disease at the Signs Symptoms
and Care programme at Aga Khan University. (L to R): Dr. Javaid
Khan, Professor, Department of Medicine, AKU; Dr. Ali Bin Sarwar
Zuberi, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, AKU; Dr.
Fayyaz Hussain, Associate Professor and Head of Pulmonary Section,
Department of Medicine, AKU; and Dr. Nawal Salahuddin, Assistant
Professor, Department of Medicine, AKU. |
Dr Zubairi began his presentation with a description of the common
signs and symptoms of influenza and pneumonia. For prevention, he
advocated the use of pneumococcal and flu vaccines for pneumonia and
influenza respectively in an appropriate setting. He stressed that
children in the 6-months to 2-year age bracket, the elderly (65 years
and older), diabetes and cancer patients, and those suffering from
chronic heart, lung, kidney or liver disease are at high risk of developing
flu and pneumonia. Dr Zubairi also emphasised the importance of hand
washing, avoiding close contact with affected persons and a healthy
balanced diet.
Drs Fayyaz Hussain, Javaid Khan and Nawal Salahuddin, Consultant Pulmonologists
at AKUH, contributed to the panel discussion. They pointed out that
smokers are not only at increased risk of lung cancer but also lung
infections, adding that the incidence of respiratory diseases is higher
among their children. They recommended to the government that serious
efforts need to be undertaken to reduce environmental pollution and
to strictly enforce a ban on smoking in public places.
As part of its outreach programme and societal commitment of creating
awareness of early diagnosis and timely treatment, AKUH has organised
over 160 'Signs, Symptoms and Care' programmes in Karachi, Hyderabad
and the UAE, benefiting more than 35,000 people.
Similarly, the University Hospital's Patient Welfare Programme reaches
out to patients by providing assistance to those who are unable to
afford the cost of treatment. Since the beginning of this programme
in 1986, over Rs. 1.05 billion has been disbursed to more than 200,000
needy patients.
|
