PIMA to hold lifesaving workshops in mosques

LAHORE: Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) will organise lifesaving workshops for common citizens in mosques across the country on Saturday (tomorrow).

PIMA has chosen around 189 mosques across the country for these Basic Life Support (BLS) workshops. In a press release issued from the PIMA Centre on Thursday, the objective described for this activity is to guide and train common citizens about the first aid that can be provided for any victim of sudden cardiac, heart failure or respiratory arrest especially where basic facilities to save a precious life are not available. Director PIMA Relief Dr M Afzal Mian said that a large number of people suffered cardiac arrests at home or at workplace and lost their lives due to non-awareness of basic life support techniques. He further assured that many lives can be saved with this Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training which is simple to learn. He explained, “CPR is an emergency first-aid procedure that is applied to maintain respiration and blood circulation in a person, whose breathing and heartbeat suddenly stops”. This Lifesaving project was first initiated on a large scale by British Islamic Medical Association in 2014; later on adopted by all doctors associations including PIMA, affiliated with the Federation of Islamic Medical Associations (FIMA). 26th September is marked to hold life support sessions at mosques all over the world.

Tripartite MoU signed to eliminate hepatitis in Punjab’s 43 prisons: Inspectorate of Prisons in collaboration with Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme and Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd. has signed an MoU to eliminate hepatitis C in 43 prisons of the Punjab province.

A tripartite MoU between the Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme, the Punjab Inspectorate General of Prisons and Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, a leading pharmaceutical company, was signed to combat viral hepatitis among the prisoners. Under the MOU, 43 standardised hepatitis clinics will be established at 43 prisons across Punjab.

The signing ceremony was held at the Governor’s House in Lahore hosted by Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar. On the occasion, Governor Sarwar, whose Sarwar Foundation actively works for hepatitis elimination, spoke of the importance of protecting marginalised communities against viral hepatitis and upholding basic human rights for all.