‘Covid pandemic has underscored importance of personal hygiene, proper nutrition’

The Covid-19 pandemic has served to further underline the significance of clean water, sanitation, personal hygiene and adequate nutrition. Our aim should be to provide access to these necessities to promote a healthy society. This inequality still exists which is not only unfair but also it is preventable.

These views expressed by Mrs. Sadia Rashid, president of the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan (HFP), in her opening remarks at the 29th International Children’s Health Conference organised by the Hamdard Public School (HPS) and the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan on Tuesday to mark World Health Day 2021.

As per the government’s SOPs on Covid-19, the conference was organised online where Mrs. Sadia Rashid hosted the event from Hamdard Corporate Head Office.

Chief guest Dr Yasmin Rashid, health minister of Punjab, while commenting on the HFP’s initiative, said: “I would like to thank HFP who took it upon itself to promote the healthcare sector of the country. Such events highlight the importance of health especially during global pandemic.”

She urged young speakers to highlight the importance of following the SOPs given by the health authorities, adding that pandemic could not be controlled without the support of every individual.

Dr Sarah Salman, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Sindh and president of the conference, said: “WHO selects a priority area of global public concern as the theme of World Health Day, falling on April 7, which is also the foundational day of WHO.”

She said the theme for 2021 is to make a collective effort to build a just and healthy world community, where no discrimination of any shape can take place and everyone has easy access to basic healthcare facilities.

She also announced that one of Hamdard Village School (HVS) students, Esha Ahmed, has won a prize in the international poster competition organised by WHO.

Fatema Munir Ahmed, MD and CEO Hamdard Laboratories Waqf Pakistan, read out the message of Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala, WHO representative in Pakistan, who said: “Health equity demands that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be healthy. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination and lack of healthcare facilities. Such issues lead to unnecessary suffering, prolonging of treatable illness and worst premature death. Such phenomena harm our societies.”

Young delegates from all over Pakistan, Sughra Ramzan, Areesh Fatima, Syed Ali Abdullah Rizvi, Asna Hassan, Ajwa Khan, Rameen Fatima, Areeba Naveed, Quratul Ain, Muqdas Hafsa, Iqra Sardar, Yaar Mohammad and foreign delegate and student Ahmet Emyen, delivered thought- provoking and exceptional speeches.

A special message of Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean on the occasion of World Health Day 2021, was also played. Dr Khalid Naseem delivered the vote of thanks to all participants. The meeting concluded with Dua-e-Said.