Pneumonia dangerous for all age groups: experts

LAHORE: Pneumonia is dangerous for all age groups worldwide with being the biggest killer of children under age 5 worldwide, Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre’s physicians said at a seminar conducted on World Pneumonia Day 2018 at PKLI Hospital Auditorium. The seminar was attended by PKLI’s Clinical HODs, consultants, senior registrars, registrars, medical officers and nursing staff here on Monday.

PKLI physicians Dr Javed Hayat Khan, Consultant Pulmonologist, Dr Naveed Rashid, Consultant Infectious Diseases, Dr Mazhar Abbas Butt, Consultant Paediatric, gave detailed talks on various aspects of the disease, saying that nearly one in six global child deaths result from pneumonia every year. They explained that pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs, making breathing painful and limiting oxygen intake.

The doctors explained that pneumonia symptoms often resolve naturally in 4 to 7 days; however, primary influenza pneumonia or secondary bacterial pneumonia may create complications during the course of recovery. An elderly person who develops pneumonia is likely to take longer compared to a younger one to recover from this illness.

The seminar speakers pointed out some of major symptoms of pneumonia: headache, temperature, weakness, dry cough, expectoration, chest pain, breathing difficulty and muscle aches. They vividly mentioned that pneumonia could pose a serious threat to human life, so it is vitally important to take appropriate measures to prevent the disease. They added that it is preventable at first instance via certain vaccines and by avoiding polluted environment, especially exposure to smoking, smog and bio-fuel mass gasses.

The doctors advised everyone to get vaccinated, take adequate hygiene measures and quit smoking. They emphasised upon the need for measures to avoid smog, regular hand wash and elimination of air pollution. They said once pneumonia develops it is treatable and can be cured without developing complications especially if it is diagnosed at an early stage. This early detection is only possible by raising awareness among masses particularly on such occasions like World Pneumonia Day.

Besides providing advanced treatment facilities including transplantation, PKLI is focused on its mission of creating awareness about disease prevention in order to eliminate kidney, liver and other diseases including pneumonia from Pakistan. The hospital management is determined that it would arrange more such events in the future to involve community in health awareness and health improvement activities.

anesthetists: Punjab Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid has said newly-inducted medical officers should also be trained as anesthetists as there was a dire need of more anesthetists in public sector hospitals.

She was addressing CEOs District Health Authorities via video link, here on Monday. Secretary Primary & Secondary Healthcare Muhammad Khan Ranjha was also present during the CEOs conference.

The minister said the Health Department was taking every necessary step to cater the shortage of anesthesia experts and teaching institutions have been directed to increase seats for anesthetist cadre. She also expressed her displeasure on continue trend of unnecessary referral of patients to major hospitals without solid reasons. “No patient should be referred without written statement of specialist because traveling of such patient to far flung area could be dangerous for his or her life”, said the minister. “Lack of health facilities does not mean that we could not achieve certain targets,” she said. The minister said after appointment of medical officers recruited through Punjab Public Service Commission, doctors working on ad-hoc basis might be adjusted on vacant posts.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Unicef led by Chief Field Office Dr Zeba Bukhari called on the minister and discussed with her breastfeeding and Nutrition Programme.