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Respiratory
diseases are on the rise in Pakistan
because of the growing trend of smoking, particularly amongst young
people. This was stated by Professor Javaid Khan, Consultant Chest
Physician at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKU), while giving a
presentation on 'How To Keep Your Lungs Healthy'. Professor Khan
was speaking at 'Signs, Symptoms and Care', the University's health
awareness programme held in Hyderabad on November 26, 2004.
According to Professor Khan,
smoking is currently responsible for over 100,000 deaths annually. "If the surging
smoking epidemic is not checked, it is expected that mortality from tobacco
use will mount to over 500,000 per year by 2010," he warned, pointing out that
smoking is responsible for over 90 per cent of lung cancer cases. He regretted
that most people in Pakistan are not aware of the serious dangers associated with smoking. "Smoking is the
single largest preventable cause of death in the country. Through will power
and use of certain medicines, most people can give up this powerful addiction," he added.
Dr Suleman Haque, Assistant
Professor and Consultant Chest Physician at AKU, said that almost 20 per cent
of the country's children and 10 per cent of adults in the country suffer from
asthma but unfortunately most patients do not receive optimal treatment. "People
need not suffer from this condition because with modern treatment almost all
asthma patients can lead a normal life," he explained. Responding to a question
regarding inhaler use, Dr Haque stressed that the best way of delivering asthma
medicines to the lungs is through inhalers, which are also are much safer than
injections, tablets or syrups. Dispelling fears about the use of steroids, he
said that steroids taken in the inhaled form are very safe and currently the
best available medicine for the prevention of asthma attacks.
Speaking on the occasion,
Dr Nisar Rao, Assistant Professor, OJHA Institute of Chest Diseases, explained
that tuberculosis (TB) is a curable disease "provided that patients complete
the full six- to eight-month course of medication." Contrary to common belief,
anti-TB medicines are safe and do not have major side effects, stressed Dr Rao.
Any person suffering from a cough for more than three weeks or fever for over
two weeks, or presenting unexplained weight loss or blood-stained sputum, must
consult an expert for diagnosis to rule out TB, he advised. "Sputum microscopy
remains the key to diagnosing TB," he added, demanding that free and reliable
sputum lung microscopy services be available across Pakistan, especially in villages and
small towns where people feel particularly distanced from testing facilities.
As part of its outreach
programme and societal commitment to creating awareness of early diagnosis and
timely treatment, AKU has organised over 150 'Signs, Symptoms and Care' programmes
in Karachi, Hyderabad and the UAE, benefiting more than
33,000 people.
Similarly, Aga Khan University Hospital's
Patient Welfare Programme reaches out to patients by providing assistance to
those patients who are unable to afford the medical cost of their treatment.
In 2003, 74% of all patients treated at the AKUH are from low to middle income
areas. Since the beginning of this programme over 200,000 patients have benefited
from the assistance received from Patient Welfare department and Rs. 1.05 billion
have been disbursed through this programme.
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