PESHAWAR: President Dr. Arif Alvi stressed the importance of raising public awareness about non-communicable diseases on Thursday.
He also emphasized the active role that all stakeholders, including the political class and the media, should play in this regard. The President of Khyber Medical University (KMU) spoke as the keynote speaker at the third international public health conference on “Breaking the Manacle: Non-Communicable Diseases” and noted that the majority of diseases, including cancer, are non-communicable and that early detection and treatment of these conditions can save valuable lives. He said that lung cancer was treatable if discovered early and that delayed detection and treatment could be fatal.
For a healthy and prosperous society, Dr. Arif Alvi recommended that special programs be broadcast on media, particularly during morning shows, to raise public awareness about communicable and non-communicable diseases. In order to save many lives, the President urged the full implementation of already-existing health policies. He insisted that although we had all the necessary policies, they hadn’t been put into practice. He added that nine million pregnancies were reported annually in the nation, with about 50% of them being unwanted, and that the nation’s resources and economy were being put under extraordinary strain due to the population’s rapid growth.
Dr Alvi said that contraceptive techniques were being used in the world to control unwanted pregnancies and birth rates and suggested the use of such techniques here also to overcome the issue of overpopulation and poverty with a view to creating a balance between economic resources and population.
The President observed that wangling among political forces would hardly serve any purpose rather focus should be made on the resolution to the issues of national priority.
Dr Arif Alvi advised the doctors’ community to do intellectual exercises and convincing of their patients during the treatment process for a healthy and prosperous society.
Earlier, the President was warmly welcomed upon reaching to the venue and was briefed about the objectives of the international conference.
The conference was attended by national and international doctors, health experts, scholars, faculty members of KMU and students.
