MULTAN, June 10th:Shaikh Muhammad Tariq Rasheed, Provincial Coordinator for Health has said that effective measures were being taken to check the unauthorised blood transfusion, sales of blood by an organised mafia. Talking to newsmen here on Thursday he said that Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif had set up Blood Transfusion Authority in 1999 but the previous government did not implement the decision.However, after 11 years Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif again set up Blood Transfusion Authority that will ensure provision of healthy and screened blood to patients.He said that Dr Saeed Elahi was appointed by the Chief Minister as the first chairman of Blood Transfusion Authority, He said that this authority has taken Important decisions regarding registration of blood banks, issuance of licenses and provision of quality blood. Tariq Rasheed said that Blood Transfusion Authorities have been set up in other countries for provision of screened blood, but this is a first experience of its kind in Pakistan which has been set up in Punjab. He said that the authority will check illegal blood banks and business of substandard and unscreened blood.
MULTAN,May 30th:Cancer Society Multan (CCM) has said that 1,50, 000 to 1,75,000 people are suffering from cancer every year due to smoking, taking "Gutka, Naswar and Beera" but only 50,000 people approach to hospitals ,clinic for treatment .Addressing a press conference here on Sunday Dr.Ahmed Aijaz Masud General Secretary and Hoshing Boman Jee finance Secretary said that smoking rate in the US has been decreased to almost half over the last 3 decades and it had ended the smoking areas while it is on the rise in developing countries such as Pakistan, India, Philippine, Thailand and Cambodia.He disclosed that Women of Mianwali, Bhakkar and other areas who take "Beera" were suffering from bladder and uterine cervix cancer.Dr.Ahmed Aijaz said that besides lung cancer, tobacco use also causes increased risk for cancers of the mouth, lips, nasal cavity (nose) and sinuses, larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), esophagus (swallowing tube), stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, uterine cervix, and acute myeloid leukemia.He said that One third of the world population smokes, while 12 percent of them are women and every day 100,000 kids are added to this number. Every year, 5.6 million people die of tobacco/smoking related diseases. Every 6 seconds, a current or former smoker dies. As many as 70 percent of the smokers die 15 years earlier than the non-smokers, and 1.3 billion people are expected to lose their lives because of smoking in 21st century, he revealed.
The expert said smoking is the single most important cause of preventable premature deaths. According to WHO figures, there are about 1.3 billion smokers in the world while 20 billion cigarettes are sold every day. Smoking cigarette, pipe, cigar, 'Huqqa', 'Shisha' and other usage of tobacco like chewing tobacco and tobacco sniffing are all dangerous and addictive. Nicotine present in tobacco smoke causes addiction by increasing the brain levels of chemicals like Dopamine and Endrophine.
Dr.Aijaz said these chemicals give a sense of happiness hence there is more craving for tobacco products. If a person tries to quit, withdrawal effects include irritability, anxiety, depression and lack of concentration, he said. Informing further, Dr Faheem said tobacco and tobacco smoke have about 4,000 chemicals, 200 of these are poisonous and 60 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer (carcinogens).Some of these chemicals are benzene (a petroleum product), ammonia (used in dry cleaning and toilet cleaning), formaldehyde (a chemical used to preserve dead bodies) and tar. Tobacco smoke causes atherosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels), leading to hart attack and stroke. It also contains carbon mono-oxide which decreases oxygen in the blood, he added.He disclosed that 90 percent of people who develop lung cancer are current or former smokers. Risk for lung cancer increases with number of cigarette smoked. In the US, lung cancer causes more deaths than breast cancer, prostrate cancer and colon cancer together, he maintained. Smoking is known cause of many other cancers like throat cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, cancer of pancreas, breast cancer, kidney cancer and prostrate cancer, he maintained.Furthermore, he continued, smoking causes medical conditions called emphysema and bronchitis (COPD). In these conditions, the lung tissue is permanently damaged. As a result, such a patient develops cough and difficulty in breathing and may develop symptoms, which mimic asthma. Patient gets lung infections (pneumonia) easily. In this case, lung can not make enough oxygen which, ultimately, leads to breathing failure and death, he said.
The expert said smoking is the single most important cause of preventable premature deaths. According to WHO figures, there are about 1.3 billion smokers in the world while 20 billion cigarettes are sold every day. Smoking cigarette, pipe, cigar, 'Huqqa', 'Shisha' and other usage of tobacco like chewing tobacco and tobacco sniffing are all dangerous and addictive. Nicotine present in tobacco smoke causes addiction by increasing the brain levels of chemicals like Dopamine and Endrophine.
Dr.Aijaz said these chemicals give a sense of happiness hence there is more craving for tobacco products. If a person tries to quit, withdrawal effects include irritability, anxiety, depression and lack of concentration, he said. Informing further, Dr Faheem said tobacco and tobacco smoke have about 4,000 chemicals, 200 of these are poisonous and 60 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer (carcinogens).Some of these chemicals are benzene (a petroleum product), ammonia (used in dry cleaning and toilet cleaning), formaldehyde (a chemical used to preserve dead bodies) and tar. Tobacco smoke causes atherosclerosis (hardening of blood vessels), leading to hart attack and stroke. It also contains carbon mono-oxide which decreases oxygen in the blood, he added.He disclosed that 90 percent of people who develop lung cancer are current or former smokers. Risk for lung cancer increases with number of cigarette smoked. In the US, lung cancer causes more deaths than breast cancer, prostrate cancer and colon cancer together, he maintained. Smoking is known cause of many other cancers like throat cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, cancer of pancreas, breast cancer, kidney cancer and prostrate cancer, he maintained.Furthermore, he continued, smoking causes medical conditions called emphysema and bronchitis (COPD). In these conditions, the lung tissue is permanently damaged. As a result, such a patient develops cough and difficulty in breathing and may develop symptoms, which mimic asthma. Patient gets lung infections (pneumonia) easily. In this case, lung can not make enough oxygen which, ultimately, leads to breathing failure and death, he said.
MULTAN, April 6th: Doctors of Nishtar Hospital on Tuesday observed complete strike and attacked on the doctors and paramedics who were serving the serious patients and children in Children complex, Civil hospital pushing the lives of innocent patients mostly children in danger .A group of doctors manhandled a number of patients and their relatives.They displayed a banner inscribed with a slogan " Entry of Journalists banned in the vicinity of Nishtar hospital," A group of doctors did not let their colleagues to do operations and medicl tests of seriously ill babies. Relatives of the patients also staged a demonstration against the doctors and they demanded stern action against those those were playing with the lives of innocent patients .Tension began when media persons went to hospital to cover a demonstration staged by the relatives of patients against the ill-attitude of the doctors.
MULTAN,April 5th: Punjab Minister for Population Welfare Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry has said serving ailing people is a noble job of paramedics and nurses and they are performing their duties as a sacred mission.She was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim Paramedical Welfare Association headed by Malik Munir Ahmed here on Saturday.
She said the present government was committed to upgrading the service structure of paramedics as well as nursing services and sensitized problems being faced by the most vital sector of healthcare system."The government feels the paramedics sector was neglected in the past, therefore, steps were being taken to boost the cadre and upgrade the socio-economic condition of people concerned besides improve working skill of paramedics," she added.Neelam said that it was the need of the hour to upgrade the curriculum of paramedics according to modern requirements.Secretary concerned at surge in polio cases: Khushnood Akhter Lashari, federal secretary health has called upon senior health managers to double their efforts for immunization by improving the vaccination coverage through EPI.While presiding over a review meeting of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Pakistan here Saturday the federal secretary health expressed his concern over Polio cases reported in different parts of the country. The meeting reviewed National Programme for Polio eradication and routine child immunization.The federal secretary said the federal government and the all the provincial governments were committed to providing a full immunization cover to all eligible children and women.He expressed his satisfaction over the strategies presented by the programme to vaccinate every mother and child in the country.Dr. Altaf Bosan presented the annual progress report of EPI to the federal secretary health and the director generals' health of all the provinces of the country.
Besides the health officer of all four provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and International health experts of WHO, UNICEF, JICA and health specialists from across the country attended the meeting..
She said the present government was committed to upgrading the service structure of paramedics as well as nursing services and sensitized problems being faced by the most vital sector of healthcare system."The government feels the paramedics sector was neglected in the past, therefore, steps were being taken to boost the cadre and upgrade the socio-economic condition of people concerned besides improve working skill of paramedics," she added.Neelam said that it was the need of the hour to upgrade the curriculum of paramedics according to modern requirements.Secretary concerned at surge in polio cases: Khushnood Akhter Lashari, federal secretary health has called upon senior health managers to double their efforts for immunization by improving the vaccination coverage through EPI.While presiding over a review meeting of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Pakistan here Saturday the federal secretary health expressed his concern over Polio cases reported in different parts of the country. The meeting reviewed National Programme for Polio eradication and routine child immunization.The federal secretary said the federal government and the all the provincial governments were committed to providing a full immunization cover to all eligible children and women.He expressed his satisfaction over the strategies presented by the programme to vaccinate every mother and child in the country.Dr. Altaf Bosan presented the annual progress report of EPI to the federal secretary health and the director generals' health of all the provinces of the country.
Besides the health officer of all four provinces, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and International health experts of WHO, UNICEF, JICA and health specialists from across the country attended the meeting..
MULTAN,March 22nd:Federal Health Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin has said that new national health policy will be announced at the end of April this year and major work on the national health policy had been completed and various important steps had been suggested to provide maximum relief to the patients in the new health policy.Talking to newsmen here today he
said the government had been giving top priority to the health sector. He said huge funds had been allocated to provide healthcare to the masses at their doorsteps. Despite economic pressure the government would provide maximum funds to the health sector to meet the growing challenges in this regard, he commented.The Minister said that one of the growing future challenges is to overcome blindness in Punjab but the goal could be achieved only with sustainability and continuity in the work being done by all the stakeholders.He hoped that the next decade would be the period of success in countering ailments like blindness and all available resources would be utilised to eliminate the eye diseases from the society and to improve the state of healthcare to the patients.said that through primary health care system launched under the national programme for prevention and control of blindness in collaboration with primary healthcare and family planning, health management and information system, funds worth over Rs 120 million were being spent for the said purpose. Pakistan has focused to eliminate eye diseases by 2020 under Vision 2020, he added. He said the national programme had embarked upon a plan to impart training in primary eye care to 20,000 LHWs in Pakistan, and added that trained lady health workers were implementing primary eye care in the country. In Punjab, he said, the training was being imparted to LHWs at 13 training centres while 17 other such training centres were being upgraded in this regard.
said the government had been giving top priority to the health sector. He said huge funds had been allocated to provide healthcare to the masses at their doorsteps. Despite economic pressure the government would provide maximum funds to the health sector to meet the growing challenges in this regard, he commented.The Minister said that one of the growing future challenges is to overcome blindness in Punjab but the goal could be achieved only with sustainability and continuity in the work being done by all the stakeholders.He hoped that the next decade would be the period of success in countering ailments like blindness and all available resources would be utilised to eliminate the eye diseases from the society and to improve the state of healthcare to the patients.said that through primary health care system launched under the national programme for prevention and control of blindness in collaboration with primary healthcare and family planning, health management and information system, funds worth over Rs 120 million were being spent for the said purpose. Pakistan has focused to eliminate eye diseases by 2020 under Vision 2020, he added. He said the national programme had embarked upon a plan to impart training in primary eye care to 20,000 LHWs in Pakistan, and added that trained lady health workers were implementing primary eye care in the country. In Punjab, he said, the training was being imparted to LHWs at 13 training centres while 17 other such training centres were being upgraded in this regard.
MULTAN, March 14th:Another 75 students of Khanewal educational institutions were hospitalised who were suffering from food poisoning. Police have registered a case but no arrest was made.District Health Officer Khanewal Dr. Yousaf Sumra said ," I have found substandard, unhygienic and expired food in the bakery and threw these item away sometime back," While Assistant Food Controller Muhammad Asghar Sahu had imposed fine of Rs.30,000 for selling substandard confectionary.Inspite of these fact, These bakers are main purveyer of food to educational institutions and Government departments because it was owned by influential people.It may be recalled that at least 450 students of 9th and 10th class and teachers of Islamia High School, Khanewal were admitted to DHQ hospital when they fell unconscious after taking the unhygienic confectionary. Where their condition iscstated to be out of danger. DCO Khanewal Qazi Ashfaq Qureshi said," I have ordered an inquiry into the supply of unghygienic and pousonous food by a local baker and appointed Mehr Ashfaq Siyal District Monitoring officer as inquiry officer," Police have also registered a case against the purveyer on the complaint of Head Master Rana Ashraf khan who stated that we have got prepared boxes of fast fod from a local baker for the farewell party of tenth class which was attended by the 450 students and teachers. After taking this food,all became unconscious and they were removed to hospital where such a number of beds were not available. Then they were laid on the floor. Thousands of people including parents of students thronged to hospital after listening the news of this incident.panic spread in the area.
The doctors said that twins could be separated provided they were not sharing the brain. On the other hand, Surayya Bibi said she could not afford the treatment, which could cost at least Rs4 to Rs5 lac. She appealed to government to bear the hospital expenses.
MULTAN, Feb 22nd:Water experts and progressive farmers on Saturday expressed their grave concern over Indian designs to divert of the flow of rivers in the Indian Occupied Kashmir and said that any such attempt would devastate Pakistan’s agriculture, the backbone of the country’s economy, besides rattling peace in the South Asian region.
They also warned the federal government to respond quickly to save the future of economy and new generations, as diversion of rivers would convert Pakistan into a desert field, triggering worst food scarcity in the nuclear-armed state.
The Indian design to divert Neelum River at Kishan Ganga site has been exposed days after Indus Water Commissioner of India G Auranga Nathan completed five-day tour to Pakistan and after site inspections, assured Islamabad that New Delhi would not violate Indus Water Treaty, signed between the South Asian powers in 1960.
Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah on Friday disclosed during the meeting of Senate’s Standing Committee on Water and Power that India is all set to divert Neelum River at Kishan Ganga but Pakistan would oppose the project at all forums.
Shah also said that Pakistan would move to international mediators against India for construction of Kishan Ganga Dam to occupy the water or River Neelum. He said that Pakistan is also concerned about the Indian attitude as it had built several hydropower projects at River Sindh.
India has constructed three mega and eight dam projects at River Chenab and 24 such projects are under consideration, Shah said adding, the Baglihar Dam was affecting country’s defence and Pakistan has asked to set telemetry system on the said dam.
He also informed that India wished to construct 54 mini dams on River Jehlum and project of building 10 mini dams on River Sindh is under consideration. Jamaat Ali Shah further said that Pakistan would move to International mediators if India started Wullar Beraj project. Water experts said that on-the-record statement of Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner is more than an eye opener for those sitting at the helm of affairs ‘but only if they are interested to secure the future of new generations.
The growers also urged the federal government to highlight the most important issue, which is vital for the survival of the country at all international forums and convene an international conference of the Friends of Pakistan to sensitise the international community about the water aggression by India.
“Pakistan will be facing a short fall of 102 billion cubic meter of water per year, whereas Bangladesh would have 1133 billion cubic meters of fresh water per year as excess,” Pakistan Water Front Chief said, when contacted. Other South Asian countries, he added, would be facing corresponding shortages of water by 2025.
“Contrary to other regions of Asia and Europe, there has been poor water management in South Asia. India, the major country of the region has been unjustly manipulating the regional water.
Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan are the main victims of Indian water burglary,” Pakistan Mutahidda Kisan Mahaz (PMKM) President Ayub Khan said.
Being upper riparian country, he added, it has frequently violated the 1960 Indus Basin Water Treaty, which clearly lays down the water distribution formula between India and Pakistan. Over the years, India has constructed a number of dams aimed at; either the illegal diversion or storage of the water of Pakistani rivers. Apart from the already constructed, Baglihar Dam on River Chenab, India is constructing over a dozen new dams and barrages over this river, which would reduce 50 per cent water flow for Pakistan, he maintained.
Shamshad Ali, Chief of the Small Farmers Front said, “New Delhi is in the process of diversion of the water of Neelam River; a tributary of the Jhelum through Kishan Ganga Project.”
The Wullar Barrage, also called the Tulbul Navigation Project on the Jhelum is already causing threats of water shortages to all major irrigational canals of Pakistan, in complete violation of Indus Water Treaty.
Uri-I and Uri-II hydropower projects are also in the process of completion. Besides, these two rivers, India is undertaking construction of three dams over Indus River, the lifeline of Pakistan’s irrigational system.
The first of these is the “Nimoo Bazgo” hydelpower project of 45MW near Alchi village, 70 Km from Leh, the capital of Ladakh. The second one is the Dumkhar project of 130MW, located 128 Km on Leh-Khalsi Batalik road. The third one is “Chutak” project on River Suru, the major tributary of the Indus in Kargil area. Most of the preliminary work has been completed in the Nimoo Bazgo project and remaining two would be completed by 2011, water experts said.
Pakistan is passing through the worst energy crises of its history with power shortages ranges from 3,000 to 4500 MW. To meet the energy shortages, natural gas, thermal energy resources, and nuclear energy means are being made use of by the South Asian countries.
Water experts said that India is playing dangerous game by diverting the flow of Pakistani rivers as the water dispute could trigger war between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Already, Pakistan is facing a heavy water shortage especially during the Rabi and Kharif crops. This is more obvious under the prevalent environment, once Pakistan is under the grip of a prolonged dry weather since the last six months.
Allowing India to construct these projects would mean giving it the control of Pakistani water. India will not release enough water, once we need that. However, it would release enough water during monsoons for flooding Pakistan, as was witnessed in 1992 and 2006.
They also warned the federal government to respond quickly to save the future of economy and new generations, as diversion of rivers would convert Pakistan into a desert field, triggering worst food scarcity in the nuclear-armed state.
The Indian design to divert Neelum River at Kishan Ganga site has been exposed days after Indus Water Commissioner of India G Auranga Nathan completed five-day tour to Pakistan and after site inspections, assured Islamabad that New Delhi would not violate Indus Water Treaty, signed between the South Asian powers in 1960.
Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah on Friday disclosed during the meeting of Senate’s Standing Committee on Water and Power that India is all set to divert Neelum River at Kishan Ganga but Pakistan would oppose the project at all forums.
Shah also said that Pakistan would move to international mediators against India for construction of Kishan Ganga Dam to occupy the water or River Neelum. He said that Pakistan is also concerned about the Indian attitude as it had built several hydropower projects at River Sindh.
India has constructed three mega and eight dam projects at River Chenab and 24 such projects are under consideration, Shah said adding, the Baglihar Dam was affecting country’s defence and Pakistan has asked to set telemetry system on the said dam.
He also informed that India wished to construct 54 mini dams on River Jehlum and project of building 10 mini dams on River Sindh is under consideration. Jamaat Ali Shah further said that Pakistan would move to International mediators if India started Wullar Beraj project. Water experts said that on-the-record statement of Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner is more than an eye opener for those sitting at the helm of affairs ‘but only if they are interested to secure the future of new generations.
The growers also urged the federal government to highlight the most important issue, which is vital for the survival of the country at all international forums and convene an international conference of the Friends of Pakistan to sensitise the international community about the water aggression by India.
“Pakistan will be facing a short fall of 102 billion cubic meter of water per year, whereas Bangladesh would have 1133 billion cubic meters of fresh water per year as excess,” Pakistan Water Front Chief said, when contacted. Other South Asian countries, he added, would be facing corresponding shortages of water by 2025.
“Contrary to other regions of Asia and Europe, there has been poor water management in South Asia. India, the major country of the region has been unjustly manipulating the regional water.
Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan are the main victims of Indian water burglary,” Pakistan Mutahidda Kisan Mahaz (PMKM) President Ayub Khan said.
Being upper riparian country, he added, it has frequently violated the 1960 Indus Basin Water Treaty, which clearly lays down the water distribution formula between India and Pakistan. Over the years, India has constructed a number of dams aimed at; either the illegal diversion or storage of the water of Pakistani rivers. Apart from the already constructed, Baglihar Dam on River Chenab, India is constructing over a dozen new dams and barrages over this river, which would reduce 50 per cent water flow for Pakistan, he maintained.
Shamshad Ali, Chief of the Small Farmers Front said, “New Delhi is in the process of diversion of the water of Neelam River; a tributary of the Jhelum through Kishan Ganga Project.”
The Wullar Barrage, also called the Tulbul Navigation Project on the Jhelum is already causing threats of water shortages to all major irrigational canals of Pakistan, in complete violation of Indus Water Treaty.
Uri-I and Uri-II hydropower projects are also in the process of completion. Besides, these two rivers, India is undertaking construction of three dams over Indus River, the lifeline of Pakistan’s irrigational system.
The first of these is the “Nimoo Bazgo” hydelpower project of 45MW near Alchi village, 70 Km from Leh, the capital of Ladakh. The second one is the Dumkhar project of 130MW, located 128 Km on Leh-Khalsi Batalik road. The third one is “Chutak” project on River Suru, the major tributary of the Indus in Kargil area. Most of the preliminary work has been completed in the Nimoo Bazgo project and remaining two would be completed by 2011, water experts said.
Pakistan is passing through the worst energy crises of its history with power shortages ranges from 3,000 to 4500 MW. To meet the energy shortages, natural gas, thermal energy resources, and nuclear energy means are being made use of by the South Asian countries.
Water experts said that India is playing dangerous game by diverting the flow of Pakistani rivers as the water dispute could trigger war between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Already, Pakistan is facing a heavy water shortage especially during the Rabi and Kharif crops. This is more obvious under the prevalent environment, once Pakistan is under the grip of a prolonged dry weather since the last six months.
Allowing India to construct these projects would mean giving it the control of Pakistani water. India will not release enough water, once we need that. However, it would release enough water during monsoons for flooding Pakistan, as was witnessed in 1992 and 2006.
MULTAN, Feb 18th: Food department came to know that a large number of food carriers, including waiters and cooks, were suffering from different contagious diseases like hepatitis B and C, TB and typhoid in Multan and its adjoining areas. Most of these food carriers belonged to big and modern hotels, sources in the CDGM claimed.Taking notice of growing number of heapatitis patients in Multan city and adjoining areas, The city district government had taken some preventive measures, like blood screening of students , house maids, hotel staff, food stuff sellers, hospital staff.but these measures could not be implemented during last three months because local councils were hanging on fire and Punjab Government had frozen their funds.A majority of tea-stalls, cafe, small hotels, restaurants and other food supply businesses in the City have not fulfilled the legal requirement of blood screening of their staff, which is spreading contagious diseases among the public.According to the Pure Food Ordinance 1960, “Under the law, any person related to food business, including retail shop owners, hotel workers, food manufacturing and packing staffers, should obtain an NOC after submitting their medical tests including hepatitis, complete liver function tests, complete blood culture, skin allergy test, urine test, alcohol test, eyes test, chest x-rays, typhoid test and TB test.
A health officer may, by notice to any person, handling articles of food in any hotel, restaurant, sweetmeat shop, or any other public eating place, requires him to obtain and keep in his possession a health certificate from a health officer to the effect that he is free from communicable disease, and to get it renewed from year to year, till such time as he continues to handle such articles.” Facts are these that a majority of food handlers, including servers, waiters, cooks, kitchen assistants and delivery persons, working in small hotels, roadside food spots, tandoors, etc are not interested in getting a medical fitness certificate.Sources in the Food Department of the City District Government Multan (CDGM) revealed that there were around 4,000 premises in the ancient city of Asia where food-related business, including dining, packing, manufacturing of food items is going on. The sources said the roadside stalls and movable food sellers were other than these 4,000 premises.An officer of CDGM said as per the rules and regulations “A place where employees serve edibles to customers and which has seating arrangements for customers is considered a hotel or a restaurant,” and all the hotel and restaurant employees would be required to obtain ‘health cards’ from the government and display them when they are on duty.Sources said that in case of negligence, the Food department could cancel the licences of a food outlet but so far not a single licence of any big hotel or restaurant was cancelled and the majority of the food handlers in big hotels and restaurants did not display their health cards while working. Sources said blood screening of food handlers and other workers, dealing with food items, was declared compulsory some years back and after the first blood screening, the Sources said the Food department then linked the issuance of licence with submission of medical reports of the employees of hotels and other food-related companies. They were allowed to get the blood screening of their employees from any private laboratory or from a government hospital.
“We have found several fake pathology reports in our record and majority of those were submitted by the staffers of small hotels, restaurants,” said An officer of CDGM 's pure food/ Health department said.He said, earlier, we allowed medical reports of private laboratories but now we would not entertain the report of any private laboratory. He said the government, under the Pure Food Rules 2007, had notified that pathology reports of only government hospitals would be entertained. He said a performa was also made for getting authentic medical tests because it should have been signed by five officers, including an eye specialist, a T&T specialist, a general physician and chief medical examination and medical superintendent of the government hospital.
Over a question that the city was full of thousands of small food stalls, hotels, restaurants, juice corners, fruit chat, Dahi Bhallay stalls, ice cream parlours, etc and a very large number of people daily visited these food outlets, he said the department had launched an awareness campaign in this regard and was already focusing small retailers and other food related business.The department classified the food-related business in three different categories, he said, adding category A included small retailers, roadside hotels and restaurants, roadside food sellers, juice sellers etc, category B included restaurants and hotels in posh localities and big retailers while category C included big hotels, big retailers, food manufacturers, food packing industries, bottled water manufacturers and others.
A health officer may, by notice to any person, handling articles of food in any hotel, restaurant, sweetmeat shop, or any other public eating place, requires him to obtain and keep in his possession a health certificate from a health officer to the effect that he is free from communicable disease, and to get it renewed from year to year, till such time as he continues to handle such articles.” Facts are these that a majority of food handlers, including servers, waiters, cooks, kitchen assistants and delivery persons, working in small hotels, roadside food spots, tandoors, etc are not interested in getting a medical fitness certificate.Sources in the Food Department of the City District Government Multan (CDGM) revealed that there were around 4,000 premises in the ancient city of Asia where food-related business, including dining, packing, manufacturing of food items is going on. The sources said the roadside stalls and movable food sellers were other than these 4,000 premises.An officer of CDGM said as per the rules and regulations “A place where employees serve edibles to customers and which has seating arrangements for customers is considered a hotel or a restaurant,” and all the hotel and restaurant employees would be required to obtain ‘health cards’ from the government and display them when they are on duty.Sources said that in case of negligence, the Food department could cancel the licences of a food outlet but so far not a single licence of any big hotel or restaurant was cancelled and the majority of the food handlers in big hotels and restaurants did not display their health cards while working. Sources said blood screening of food handlers and other workers, dealing with food items, was declared compulsory some years back and after the first blood screening, the Sources said the Food department then linked the issuance of licence with submission of medical reports of the employees of hotels and other food-related companies. They were allowed to get the blood screening of their employees from any private laboratory or from a government hospital.
“We have found several fake pathology reports in our record and majority of those were submitted by the staffers of small hotels, restaurants,” said An officer of CDGM 's pure food/ Health department said.He said, earlier, we allowed medical reports of private laboratories but now we would not entertain the report of any private laboratory. He said the government, under the Pure Food Rules 2007, had notified that pathology reports of only government hospitals would be entertained. He said a performa was also made for getting authentic medical tests because it should have been signed by five officers, including an eye specialist, a T&T specialist, a general physician and chief medical examination and medical superintendent of the government hospital.
Over a question that the city was full of thousands of small food stalls, hotels, restaurants, juice corners, fruit chat, Dahi Bhallay stalls, ice cream parlours, etc and a very large number of people daily visited these food outlets, he said the department had launched an awareness campaign in this regard and was already focusing small retailers and other food related business.The department classified the food-related business in three different categories, he said, adding category A included small retailers, roadside hotels and restaurants, roadside food sellers, juice sellers etc, category B included restaurants and hotels in posh localities and big retailers while category C included big hotels, big retailers, food manufacturers, food packing industries, bottled water manufacturers and others.
There are over 150,000 thalassemia major cases in Pakistan and the number is growing. “If two thalassemia minor carriers got married then their children could be born with thalassemia major. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to conduct compulsory blood screening before marriage as one of the basic preventive care,” said Ammara Farooq Malik, President of an NGO, Seeds of Education, Policy & Legal Awareness Association (SEPLAA), while addressing the participants at the launching of a Youth Council and website (www.seplaa.com) to create awareness about SEPLAA’s drive “Save a life, save a generation” at its head office in DHA, Lahore, on Saturday. Ammara Malik proposed to the government that every person should be tested at least once for thalassemia traits and this information could be put on their identity cards along with their blood type.
She said that camps for diagnosis of thalassemia would be set up in institutions to identify thalassemia minor carriers. She said that Italy and Greece had some of the highest number of cases of thalassemia and those countries had learnt to take care of the problem at the roots by educating their people that thalassemia could be prevented by taking the responsible action of blood testing before getting married. “We need to create awareness about the importance of premarital blood screening to remove the stigma of ‘shame’ or a ‘social taboo’ attached with this practice. Earlier, a video clip of an 11-year-old thalessemic girl Kiran Ashfaq, who died after the failure of her bone marrow transplant, was also shown to highlight the gravity of the issue.
Besides, Hassan Awais Wyne, Zahra Wyne, Saman Jaffer, Jaffer Mateen, Khurram Zafar and other members and volunteers were also present.
She said that camps for diagnosis of thalassemia would be set up in institutions to identify thalassemia minor carriers. She said that Italy and Greece had some of the highest number of cases of thalassemia and those countries had learnt to take care of the problem at the roots by educating their people that thalassemia could be prevented by taking the responsible action of blood testing before getting married. “We need to create awareness about the importance of premarital blood screening to remove the stigma of ‘shame’ or a ‘social taboo’ attached with this practice. Earlier, a video clip of an 11-year-old thalessemic girl Kiran Ashfaq, who died after the failure of her bone marrow transplant, was also shown to highlight the gravity of the issue.
Besides, Hassan Awais Wyne, Zahra Wyne, Saman Jaffer, Jaffer Mateen, Khurram Zafar and other members and volunteers were also present.
MULTAN, Feb 13th: Lady Health supervisors have announced to call off their strike and agreed to join the anti-polio campaign to be started from Feb 15 in Punjab province on the assurance of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi who assured them redressal of their grievances and convey their problems to Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif. A delegation of National Health Association comprising Rukhsana Anwar(Chairman), Sajida Hameed (provincial Chief) Nargis Wazir, Shazia Arshad, Saira Naqvi, Tahira Nasreen, Asma, Nighat Perveen, Mumtaz Bibi, Asia Perveen, Kehkashan, Khalida Akmal, Sardar Ahmed, Abdul Latif, Khizar Hayat. However they welcomed the Federal Goivernment’s decision to fix minimum salary of Health workers at Rs.6000.. EDO(Health Multan said the three-day national anti-polio campaign will get under way from February 15, and for this purpose, we have finalised the necessary arrangements and also asked the ditrict Health officers to lead and monitor the mobile vaccination teams as well as campaign so that desired results could be achieved. The campaign will last three days, ending on February 17 (Wednesday), while designated hospitals would continue to administer the vaccine. Teams have been formed to travel door-to-door and vaccinate children. Special teams would also be deputed at major hospitals in the district besides being at all the basic health units, regional headquarters, and tehsil and district hospitals.The teams would also be present at bus stands, railway stations and airport and anyone leaving or coming into the city would be able to avail the polio vaccination for their children, He said that 0.7 million children in Multan would be vaccinated
MULTAN,Feb Ist:Hundreds of female patients have to suffer at Labour room of the NIshtar Hospital,Multan due to severe shortage of staff and space, yet the provincial health department has not given any attention to the issue so far.People of Multan have demanded to provide at least six operation theatres in Nishtar Hospital immediately to save the lives of expectant women. Similar condition is of the paediatrics department.Due to acute shortage of space at the paediatrics department of the NHM, two to three child patients with severe sicknesses and even infections are being kept on a single bed that according to health experts, give rise to chances of getting a patient infected with the other. Sometimes, the paeds department has to keep even three child patients on a single bed. The sanctioned bed strength of the paeds department is less than required however the department is operating a total of 85 beds to accommodate extraordinary heavy burden of child patients here. A report revealed that as many as 170 to 200 child patients remain present in the 85-bedded paeds department any time in any of the three shifts. The existing paeds department accommodates at least four persons — two child patients and two mothers — on a single bed and it further increases chances of infection particularly among child patients according to health experts. Of the 85 beds, 46 are used as ward, 25 as nursery, four beds are in ICU while 10 are used for child emergency cases. "The paeds department has to cater to the needs of huge influx of child patients from Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan Divisions , Sindh's Kashmor -Jacobabad, Balochistan's Loralai, Ruknee, Zhob while the population of the Multan has also increased many times and the increase in number of beds at the paeds department is not proportionate to population increase," said a senior doctor here on Monday .He added that also the influx is increasing consistently because of provision of free of cost treatment at the paeds department. "The paeds department provides all essential medicines and necessary diagnostic tests free of cost to all patients." Apart from space, the patients have to suffer much due to severe shortage of staff as only 12 nurses in assistance with 20 nursing students are serving to cater to the needs of around 180 patients round the clock.
"According to recommendation of Pakistan Nursing Council, there should be at least four nurses in three shifts on each six beds means the paeds department should have at least 50 plus nurses in all three shifts instead of 12," said a staff nurse
"According to recommendation of Pakistan Nursing Council, there should be at least four nurses in three shifts on each six beds means the paeds department should have at least 50 plus nurses in all three shifts instead of 12," said a staff nurse
MULTAN,Feb Ist:Pakistan Medical Association Punjab Chapter leader Dr.Shahid Rao has said," we had planned to agitate against the instutition of murder cases against the doctor for their inadvertently mistake or human error and leaving the quacks unpunished," but now we had put off our protest as the chairman of the Chief Minister’s Task Force on Spurious Drugs, Dr Saeed Elahi, has assured that the government would not register cases against doctors under Section 302 but if found responsible for negligence, they will have to face legal proceedings.Dr. Shahid Rao said Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif had also met with leaders and office-bearers of PMA and different bodies of doctors to clear the misunderstanding about the Healthcare Commission. Mian Shahbaz Sharif, according to him,said the medical profession carried great respect and honour and doctors were the cream of the nation, therefore, no-one could think of insulting or humiliating them. However, there was a need to regulate the public and private medical institutions with a view to ensuring provision of trained and qualified staff, latest diagnostic equipment, and treatment facilities to prevent accidents (cases of negligence) to save patients from unnecessary disabilities or deaths in hospitals across the province, he said.
MULTAN, Jan 12th:People who spend more than four hours in front of the television each day have a far higher risk of dying early than those who limit their viewing, an Australian study said Tuesday.
Watching the small screen for prolonged periods is also bad for your heart, according to the research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
"Compared to people who watch less than two hours of television per day, people who watch more than four hours per day have a 46 percent higher risk of death from all causes," researcher David Dunstan told foreign news agency. They also have an 80 percent increased risk from cardiovascular disease, he said. Sitting down for long periods stops the body from using its muscles and adequately processing sugars and fats, Dunstan said.
The findings come from a six-year study into the viewing habits of some 8,800 Australians which stripped out the influence of other health factors such as age, sex, smoking, weight and exercise.
Watching the small screen for prolonged periods is also bad for your heart, according to the research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
"Compared to people who watch less than two hours of television per day, people who watch more than four hours per day have a 46 percent higher risk of death from all causes," researcher David Dunstan told foreign news agency. They also have an 80 percent increased risk from cardiovascular disease, he said. Sitting down for long periods stops the body from using its muscles and adequately processing sugars and fats, Dunstan said.
The findings come from a six-year study into the viewing habits of some 8,800 Australians which stripped out the influence of other health factors such as age, sex, smoking, weight and exercise.
MULTAN, Jan3rd: A young girl Rabia bibi (18) resident of walled city of Multan died of swine flue today in emergency ward of Nishtar Hospital Multan, Principal of Nishtar Hospital Prof.Dr.Laiq Hussain Siddiquie said," Rabia was a suspect of wine flu and all symptoms were of swine flue,we kept her in isolation room for treatment and took his blood for test but she could not survive and she died within 12 hours," Earlier another two suspects have died in the same hospital. Mst.Shazia (27) of Abdul Hakim town died of swine flu in isolation room of Ward No.22 of Nishtar Hospital Multan on Friday (Dec 25,2009). She was admitted to hospital three days before. Dr. Zafar Niazi ,Medical Superintendent of NHM said,” Shazia was died of swine flu on Friday earlier another married lady Shagufta (43) of Multan city died on Thursday (Dec 24,2009). Now Third patient Wajid Ali is still in critical condition. The health ministry has failed to devise any effective strategy to stop the spread of the viral disease, officials said.Till date, 63 people have been affected by the disease. The National Programme for Influenza failed to create awareness about swine flu among people,