DUHS to start FM radio service
The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) will start an FM radio station soon to create awareness about tuberculosis, leprosy and other infectious diseases, said Vice Chancellor, DUHS, Professor Masood Hameed.
He said this while addressing a seminar on infectious diseases to mark the World Leprosy Day on Thursday. Hameed said that about half of the population of this country suffers from various kinds of diseases. He explained that immunisation is very costly here because vaccines need to be imported.
Hameed noted that health education is a must to raise awareness about tuberculosis, leprosy and other infectious diseases, adding that the media can play a vital role in this regard. The founder, Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC), Madam Ruth Fao said that the treatment of leprosy is an expensive and long process, adding if the disease is diagnosed in early stages then it will leave less harmful effects on human body and can be treated easily.
The Chairman, Community Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Professor Gregory Pappas mentioned that in Pakistan 20 per cent patients of Aids are from Karachi while just 0.2 to 12 per cent from other cities. In the year 2006 there were 481 cases of leprosy in Pakistan, out of these 293 were from Sindh. He said that 900 leprosy cases are detected in the past three years, adding most of them are of people belonging to low income areas. Prof. Javed Khan from AKUH informed that TB mostly affects people of age group 15 to 54. He said that 98 per cent deaths occurring from TB in the world belong to developing countries.
Due to lack of better equipped laboratories, experts and good quality medicines, it is difficult to control infectious diseases.
Principal, Dow Medical College (DMC) Prof. Salahuddin Afsar said that Dow University would conduct training programmes for faculty, post-graduates and medical students every month, this year.
Source: The News
Date:2/1/2008
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