RAWALPINDI, Dec 22 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi Wednesday here said doctors should focus on the prevention of diseases and underlined the need for avoiding the unnecessary use of antibiotics.
Speaking at the 5th Rawalpindi Medical University International Scientific Conference, he said diseases like hepatitis which spread due to irresponsibility, should be controlled through preventive measures.
According to an estimate, nine percent of the population in Pakistan was suffering from hepatitis, he explained.
In Egypt, the government spent $ three billion to treat hepatitis in patients, he noted.
He said Pakistan would have to take further measures to prevent spread of diseases.
He said people needed to be told about the ill effects of use of antibiotics and the culture of excessive use of antibiotics needed to be changed.
He expressed hope that Pakistan would achieve success in eradicating polio.
Dr Alvi lauded the contribution of the medical community in treating patients during the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the capitalist world did not do justice in provision of vaccines to the people despite their claims of concern on the humanitarian issues.
The President said in many places of the world, at present booster doses were being administered, while there were still places where people did not even get the first dose of vaccination.
The world should have done more about provision of vaccines and the World Health Organization had raised this particular issue, he mentioned.
He said India imposed total lockdown to tackle coronavirus but it lost lives of a large number of people whereas in Pakistan, the government and doctors effectively tackled the disease with a smart lockdown, with the support of ulema and all segments of society.
People followed the procedures and took precautionary measures despite illiteracy in the country, he said adding people in other countries including Europe resisted and protested against the rules on use of masks during COVID 19.
He said malnutrition and stunting were major issues among the people, adding 40 percent people in the country were affected by malnutrition and stunting.
He said breast feeding should be encouraged and use of infant formula milk should be discouraged.
President Dr Alvi said instead of looking at every disease in terms of treatment, doctors should tell people about preventive measures.
“At present not enough is being done to prevent diseases, although doctors are making an effort.”
He said the international community had assisted Pakistan in its efforts against malnutrition and under the government’s Ehsaas programme steps were taken to decrease malnutrition and people were given incentives including cash and food sachets for their children.
Doctors should lead the campaign against malnutrition and obesity, he asserted.
Dr Alvi said Pakistan was producing good doctors, who should reach out to all of the population to extend health facilities.
He appreciated the government for issuing the health insurance cards to the people who would be able to get medical treatment for various diseases free of cost.
He said Pakistan was facing the issue of population surge.
There were eight million pregnancies in the country every year and four million of them were unwanted pregnancies, he said adding, “We should move towards long acting contraceptives to address the issue of population growth.”
He was of the view that as the economy would improve, the birth rate in the country would come down.
He appreciated Rawalpindi Medical University for imparting quality education to students.
