00:01
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Karachi
Every year millions of children die of pneumonia globally followed by diarrhoea and malaria globally.
This was stated by Dr Ayesha Mehnaz, head of the department of paediatrics, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi, at a seminar titled “Pneumonia and middle ear infection among children”, at a local hotel on Thursday.
The seminar was held under the aegis of the Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman memorial Society (MKMS).
She said a major cause of this was malnutrition, and that while a greater number of pneumonia cases among children were reported during winter, more or less it prevailed all year round.
Major causes of this were inhalation, especially the pollution-riddled air that was the curse of the big overpopulated cities, and overcrowded places. Besides, she said, kissing and cuddling of children by a whole lot of people also was a major cause.
Children, she said, were brought to hospital when it was a hopeless case.
“The best way to reduce/prevent pneumonia among children is to ensure against malnutrition,” Dr Mehnaz said, adding that another very important measure was breast-feeding. She was dead set against breast-feeding substitutes and special milk preparations for children marketed by multinationals, and said that these preparations were no substitute for mother’s milk.
However, she laid special emphasis on immunisation. In this regard, she mentioned the haemophilis influenza vaccine, and the pneumococcal vaccine and said that the latter could reduce child deaths by 70-80 percent.
In this context, Dr Mehnaz cited the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) where these vaccines were to be administered free of cost. She exhorted the people to make use of the facility.
She also mentioned the latest development in pharmacy, the six-in-one vaccine that is supposed to give immunisation to the child against six diseases.
Talking about other diseases among children, she said that right now there were only three countries where there was incidence polio, namely, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Among other things, s Dr Mehnaz recommended balanced diet, vaccination (vaccine should never be interrupted as that could cause the germs or bacteria to become immune to the vaccine, rendering it ineffective), regular administration of zinc supplements, mother’s diet should be wholesome and balanced, lots of fluids, and maximum eradication of air pollution.
Dr Inkisar Ali of the Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry said that 115.8 million children in South Asia suffered from Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media). Among the many causes, he said, were exposure to cigarette-smoking and various kinds of viruses and allergies.
He said that mother’s milk was the best remedy against attacks by viruses. He said that menegitis could also lead to hearing problems. He said that the latest development in the field of pharmaceuticals was the six-in one vaccine which also ensured against Otitis Media.
Use of antibiotics, Dr Ali said, should be minimum. He said chances of Otitis Media were very high in daycare centres for children. He said that chances of Otitis Media were maximum among children aged up to six months and next came children between six months and three years.
Sanober from the pharmaceutical Glaxo-Smith-Kline (GSK) stressed the need for immunisation against pneumonia and Otitis Media.
Earlier, Wasif Nagi, said that it was regrettable that the media was just concentrating on political issues and there was nothing about the most vital public health issues like air pollution, lack of potable water, and lack of hygiene. Arshad Sabri, Chairman, MKRMS, compered the function.
Every year millions of children die of pneumonia globally followed by diarrhoea and malaria globally.
This was stated by Dr Ayesha Mehnaz, head of the department of paediatrics, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi, at a seminar titled “Pneumonia and middle ear infection among children”, at a local hotel on Thursday.
The seminar was held under the aegis of the Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman memorial Society (MKMS).
She said a major cause of this was malnutrition, and that while a greater number of pneumonia cases among children were reported during winter, more or less it prevailed all year round.
Major causes of this were inhalation, especially the pollution-riddled air that was the curse of the big overpopulated cities, and overcrowded places. Besides, she said, kissing and cuddling of children by a whole lot of people also was a major cause.
Children, she said, were brought to hospital when it was a hopeless case.
“The best way to reduce/prevent pneumonia among children is to ensure against malnutrition,” Dr Mehnaz said, adding that another very important measure was breast-feeding. She was dead set against breast-feeding substitutes and special milk preparations for children marketed by multinationals, and said that these preparations were no substitute for mother’s milk.
However, she laid special emphasis on immunisation. In this regard, she mentioned the haemophilis influenza vaccine, and the pneumococcal vaccine and said that the latter could reduce child deaths by 70-80 percent.
In this context, Dr Mehnaz cited the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) where these vaccines were to be administered free of cost. She exhorted the people to make use of the facility.
She also mentioned the latest development in pharmacy, the six-in-one vaccine that is supposed to give immunisation to the child against six diseases.
Talking about other diseases among children, she said that right now there were only three countries where there was incidence polio, namely, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Among other things, s Dr Mehnaz recommended balanced diet, vaccination (vaccine should never be interrupted as that could cause the germs or bacteria to become immune to the vaccine, rendering it ineffective), regular administration of zinc supplements, mother’s diet should be wholesome and balanced, lots of fluids, and maximum eradication of air pollution.
Dr Inkisar Ali of the Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry said that 115.8 million children in South Asia suffered from Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media). Among the many causes, he said, were exposure to cigarette-smoking and various kinds of viruses and allergies.
He said that mother’s milk was the best remedy against attacks by viruses. He said that menegitis could also lead to hearing problems. He said that the latest development in the field of pharmaceuticals was the six-in one vaccine which also ensured against Otitis Media.
Use of antibiotics, Dr Ali said, should be minimum. He said chances of Otitis Media were very high in daycare centres for children. He said that chances of Otitis Media were maximum among children aged up to six months and next came children between six months and three years.
Sanober from the pharmaceutical Glaxo-Smith-Kline (GSK) stressed the need for immunisation against pneumonia and Otitis Media.
Earlier, Wasif Nagi, said that it was regrettable that the media was just concentrating on political issues and there was nothing about the most vital public health issues like air pollution, lack of potable water, and lack of hygiene. Arshad Sabri, Chairman, MKRMS, compered the function.
Posted in: Karachi News
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