LAHORE : The children are the valuable asset of any nation, the hope of a safe future and a key element of a healthy society. Health professionals around the world always disseminate awareness about the newly born and it is our responsibility and professional duty to ensure it towards parents so that a healthy future for the new generation could be ensured.
Principal PGMI Prof Al-Fareed Zafar expressed these views while speaking at the closing ceremony of a training workshop on children's diseases, preventive measures and other health issues in Lahore General Hospital with the collaboration of UNICEF and the Punjab govt.
In this training workshop more than 200 doctors and nurses, UNICEF experts and medical experts took part while Prof Akmal Naik, Prof M Shahid, Prof Faheem Afzal, Prof Nudrat Sohail, MS Dr Frayad Hussain, Dr Khalid Mehmood, Dr Nudrat Rasheed and Dr Uzma Bukhari threw light on infants’ health and breast-feeding. Gynecologist Dr Laila Shafiq and DCNS Ms Shazia Kausar were also present on this occasion. Later, a question answer session was also held.
Principal LGH said that every year thousands of children in Pakistan cannot celebrate their first birthday and they die due to various diseases like pneumonia, measles, diarrhea (AWD) and other complications. In addition, a large number of children suffer from malnutrition, their growth stops and they remain stunted. He said that the above-mentioned problems of children's health are very serious and experts in pediatric diseases, gynecologists and special attention of doctors are required in the related fields.
Prof Al-Fareed Zafar said that it is noteworthy that the parents of the children should also be given the necessary awareness so that they can understand their responsibilities regarding the health of their newborns. He further said that doctors, gynecologists must convince mothers of newborn babies about the importance of breast-feeding as there is no substitute for it.
He highlighted that in order to give children a healthy future, where parents give importance to their educational needs, best clothing and other matters.
It is also their duty to complete the course of immunisation of infants till the age of 15 months.
Speaking about the Baby Friendly Initiative, Medical Superintendent General Hospital, Dr Faryad Hussain, said that the Department of Pediatrics and Gynecology in the hospitals to provide training to the women coming to the baby-friendly care (breast-feeding) and other basic issues as there is a need to create a breastfeeding corner in government offices.