Family happiness linked to healthy mother, child

LAHORE:Three-day training course on taking Baby-Friendly Initiative concluded at Lahore General Hospital on Monday. The training course was organised with the collaboration of UNICEF during which training was provided to 46 master trainers.

UNICEF executives and medical experts Prof Faheem Afzal, Dr Nudrat Rashid, Dr Nighat Parveen, Dr Khalida Amir and Dr Uzma Khurram Bukhari gave detailed lectures on the health of infants, their protection from diseases and the importance of breast feeding. MS Dr Khalid bin Aslam, Dr Laila Shafiq, Nursing Supervisor Anwar Sultna, Nursing Superintendent Mrs Maimunah Satar and others were also present. Post Graduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Dr Sardar Al-freed Zafar while speaking at the closing ceremony said that breast feeding is essential for the newborns and called upon that a healthy mother and child are the guarantors of the real happiness of any family and the better future of Pakistan.

Speaking about Baby-Friendly Initiatives, Prof Al-freed Zafar said that women visiting the Department of Pediatrics & Gynecology in hospitals should be given proper training on newborn baby care, breastfeeding and other basic issues. He added that there is a need to create a breastfeeding special corner in offices so that mothers can be facilitated about their babies to feed them comfortably in a safe environment.

Talking to the media representatives, Prof Al-freed said that babies should be exclusively breastfed for two years, which is the best tonic, complete food and promotes disease-fighting immunity and protects bones from weakness, he stressed.

Dr Laila Shafiq and Mrs Maimunah said that the platform of social media can be very effective for conducting awareness campaigns among women regarding breastfeeding while NGOs working for the welfare of women should also use this platform to carry out effective campaigns that will have a positive impact on the society and guide women especially mothers on infant care, upbringing of child and breastfeeding.

UHS VC announces facilitation centre for students: The University of Health Sciences (UHS) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ahsan Waheed Rathore on Monday has declared it mandatory for all students to become members of student societies and clubs for character building of future health professionals.

All students will be required to be a part of a student society or club within a week's time. Additionally, workshops on research writing and communication skills will also be mandatory for every student without which the degree will not be completed.

Addressing the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the university, Prof Rathore said that the student counseling system would be improved from next month. On this occasion, the VC announced the establishment of a ‘facilitation centre’ for immediate solution of students' complaints and where all matters from admission to the degree would be resolved under a one-window operation. Prof Rathore added that the facility would be operational by Sept 1. On this occasion, the VC directed the administration to immediately improve the affairs of the student mess and hostel.