‘6.9m Pakistanis COPD patients’

LAHORE
As the world observes the Global COPD Day (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), more than 2,410 million people are suffering from the COPD worldwide with Pakistan sharing the burden of 6.9 million people.
Addressing a media briefing at a local hotel on Wednesday to mark this international day, doctors stressed that we must realise the deadly effects of the COPD as it will become the leading cause of death in future even ahead of diabetes and depression.
The worst part is this that there is very superficial awareness about this killer disease and not much attention is paid to fight it.
The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COLD) defines the COPD as a common preventable disease characterised by persistent airflow limitation that is usually associated with an enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways and lungs to noxious particles and gases.
“We have to realise that the COPD is a major threat. Being a chronic disease, once a man falls prey to it, there is no point of return. If not controlled, it increases with time.
Difficulty in breathing will restrict him to perform any difficult job.
He becomes a non-productive part of the family and society”, said Prof. Dr. Kamran Cheema, President Pakistan Chest Society and Head of Pulmonalogy, Services Hospital.
Talking about the signs and symptoms of the COPD, he said shortness of breath, persistent cough, coughing up mucus, wheezing, fatigue/tiredness, weight loss, morning headaches are alarming signs of the disease. It is more common in men as compared to women. The spread of the COPD increases with age and primarily affects the people of 40 years and above.
He added that symptoms of the disease develop slowly and are ignored by most of the patients as ‘old age’ or ‘smoker’s cough’ which is a dangerous attitude of patients and by the time it is realised they have often lost a significant amount of lung function. Dr. Ashraf Jamal, Joint Secretary PCS and Asst. Professor Pulmonalogy Services Hospital, while sharing a data on the COPD symptoms, said the spread rate of the COPD related symptoms is 18.5 percent and 26.7 percent patients come with co-morbidities. Similarly, around 33.3 per cent COPD patients were hospitalised for their condition and 26.7 per cent patients visited an emergency room due to their respiratory condition.
He said smoking is the major contributor that accounts for up to 75% of all cases of the COPD. Not only smokers are at higher risk, but they also harm other people through passive smoking. Recent trends of ‘Sheesha’ and ‘e-cigarettes’ are also harmful and contributing heavily to the menace.
People consider them a safe alternative, but they are gravely mistaken. He urged the people to stay away from smoking and other air pollutants.
He stressed that patients have to take care of their routines and habits; they have to avoid triggers like cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes and dust. Once diagnosed with the COPD, daily medication is vital to fight with the COPD along with short-acting rescue inhalers.
The COPD is a chronic disease and has no cure. The only way to counter this disease is to live and use prescribed therapies.
Loose milk: The Department of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore in collaboration with the Punjab Enabling Environment Project (PEEP) organised a one-day training workshop on “Data Collection for Assessment of Loose Milk Supply to Lahore City” on Wednesday.
According to a press release, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha chaired the workshop while Punjab Food Authority Director Operations Ayesha Mumtaz, Dr Muhammad Nasir and researchers from academic institution, representatives from public and private dairy sector were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, the vice-chancellor said that loose milk is causing serious food safety issues, so we need to develop and maintain a formal minimum-pasteurised milk supply chain. He said that under this PEEP project, the UVAS is going to focus on Lahore for proposing an implantable model for availability/supply of safe milk, which afterwards can be replicated in other districts of Punjab.
Ayesha Mumtaz said it is our duty to ensure that the milk we purchase from market and milkmen is free from poisonous adulterants including chemicals, low quality oils, urea fertiliser and aflatoxin. She said these adulterants are hazardous and causing irreversible damage to human health.
The workshop was a step towards development of a formal dairy sector to regulate the sale of milk, which is minimally pasteurised and safe for consumers throughout the Punjab province.