Call for combating global climate challenges with coordinated efforts

Our challenge is to make coordinated and collective progress on the initiatives to combat global climate challenges and to take advantage of the synergies when we see them.

These views were expressed by Mrs. Sadia Rashid, president of the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan (HFP), while addressing the 30th International Children’s Health Conference organised via the Zoom platform by the HFP in collaboration with the Hamdard Public School (HPS) recently to celebrate World Health Day 2022.

She attended the conference from the Hamdard Corporate Head Office. Syed Sardar Ali Shah, provincial minister for education and literacy (Sindh), was invited as a chief guest. In a welcome address, Mrs. Sadia Rashid said: “Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said, a visionary reformer and founder of HFP, three decades ago, held a very unusual conference in the country which was aimed at creating awareness about health and healthy lifestyle among the children of the country. Since then every year, HFP organises this important event to raise awareness about health among children.”

While highlighting this year’s theme of World Health Day “Our Planet, Our Health”, she said: “This year’s theme underlines the deep connection as to how closely our health is bound to that of our planet. Pollution of air, water, and food adversely affects us. Everyone has to play their part in order to resolve these global challenges. At this crucial moment in our planet’s evolution, no excuse is admissible to refuse to recognise our responsibility in reducing pollution.”

She advised young participants to join the drive to plant more trees, and discourage the cutting down of them. “Do not join the crowd who have forgotten handkerchiefs, dusters, and towels, and only use tissues and paper towels, because it’s a bad habit. Use recycled materials; neither use nor encourage the use of plastic in the form of polythene bags or plastic bottles. Take your own cloth-bags when you go shopping, and store stuff in reusable glass bottles and containers,” she added.

Fatema Munir Ahmed, MD and CEO Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Pakistan, shared the messages of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general, World Health Organisation (WHO), and Dr Palitha Mahipala, head of Mission Country, WHO Representative Pakistan. In their video messages, they both applauded the efforts of the HFP, especially Mrs. Sadia Rashid, for taking a proactive role in promoting the health sector not only in Pakistan but on an international level by becoming a part of global awareness campaigns. Dr Ahmed Al Mandaha, regional director WHO, Eastern Mediterranean Region, also sent his message of appreciation.

Dr Sarah Salman Zuberi, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Sindh and president of the conference, said: “We appreciate the meaningful engagement of children from Pakistan and neighbouring countries in the 30th International Children’s Health Conference, which comes round the time each year of World Health Day. WHO is thankful for the Hamdard Foundation Pakistan and Hamdard Public School for their timeless efforts for raising the voices of children and engaging the young generation in matters of health and wellbeing.”

She also said: “This year’s theme is ‘Our planet, our health’. In the midst of a pandemic, a polluted planet, increasing diseases like cancer, asthma, heart disease, on World Health Day 2022, WHO will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.”

Young speakers from Canada, the UAE, Jordan, France, Iran and Iraq as well as various cities of Pakistan participated through their schools to highlight the value and importance of ‘World Health Day”’ through their powerful and commemorative speeches on the theme.

Earlier, the conference started with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Naunehal Hafiz Rayyan Hussain Ghaury. Nuzrah Jamal (Hamdard Public School) was the compere of the conference.

Dr. Khalid Naseem, administrator, Hamdard Public School Karachi, delivered a vote of thanks to all participants and the organisers, workers of Hamdard Foundation Pakistan, teachers and organisers of Hamdard Public School. The conference was concluded with Dua-e-Said.