14 more children die of pneumonia in Punjab

LAHORE : Around 14 children have expired due to pneumonia in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

The pneumonia is taking an immense toll on the children, having weak immunity, due to the current wave of chilling weather.

Out of 14 children, two expired in Lahore, five in Faisalabad, three in Sheikhupura, and one each in Pindi Bhattian, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin The spokesman for Health Department said that six children, who died, aged between three and 12 months, five children were one year to four years of age.

As many as 979 children were reported to be suffering from pneumonia in 24 hours from Punjab, which the total number of patients to 10,520 reported from Punjab during the month of January so far.

Around 197 children diagnosed with pneumonia were confirmed from Lahore during the last 24 hours, which brought the total number of cases to 1570 reported from Lahore during January. The spokesman advised parents to protect their children from cold, and get immunisation course completed.

Dr Javed says AI to be a game changer in health sector

Caretaker Provincial Health Minister Prof Dr Javed Akram has said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a game changer in the healthcare sector.

‘The patients will get a lot of convenience in treatment in government hospitals with the help of artificial intelligence system,’ he said while addressing a press conference at Apka Clinic, Mozang, on Wednesday. Caretaker Health Minister Balochistan Dr Ameer Khan, Dr Shehla Javed Akram, Dr Aftab Mohsin, Dr Somia Iqtdar, Dr Mansoor Khan, Fauzia Khan, Dr Bilal and doctors participated on this occasion. An American company, Soltone, donated artificial intelligence software.

In this regard, an agreement was also reached between the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine and Soltone Company. ‘Today is a historic day in the healthcare system, said the minister, adding that the alerts would also be issued to patients through the intelligence system. The doctors have nothing to fear from the intelligence system. It will promote evidence-based studies. The HIMS system is currently running successfully in 29 government hospitals of Punjab. Revamping work is going on successfully in more than 100 government hospitals of Punjab. Prof Dr Javed Karam while answering the questions of the journalists, said that the one year performance of the caretaker setup was satisfactory in the eyes of the people. The caretaker Punjab government will be defeated in the people's court. An undertaking has been taken to improve the conditions of government hospitals of Punjab.

The Punjab government is taking very effective measures to bring down the cases of pneumonia. In this season, the intensity of cold has increased. Children have less immune system than adults. Mother's milk is the basic and powerful food for a developing baby. Through the Punjab Information Technology Board, efforts are being made to make all government hospitals paperless under the HIMS system. The blood banks of government hospitals are going to be revamped.

The caretaker chief minister is focusing all his attention on the improvement of the health sector, he concluded.