On the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, preventive cardiology departments would be set up in hospitals for early detection of heart diseases.
While chairing a meeting to review setting up preventive cardiology departments, the CM observed that this facility would be useful to treat, screen and manage heart diseases.
Awareness and treatment will be recommended in a special center for the prevention of heart diseases and it would be helpful to prevent the causes of heart diseases in advance, he said. A pilot project of preventive cardiology will be started at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology and its scope would be gradually expanded to other cardiology institutes, he further said.
Early diagnosis and treatment of diseases will save government resources. In developed countries, preventive cardiology departments provide valuable services for public health, he noted. Provincial Minister Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Dr Yasmin Rashid said that early diagnosis of heart diseases will reduce the pressure in government hospitals.
The research director of Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Dr Ezra Muhammad said that, in modern medical science, it is possible to detect heart disease on a genetic basis. Parents need to take preventive measures for children after a heart attack.
Executive Director Punjab Institute of Cardiology Dr Bilal Mohyuddin said that blood pressure, sugar, smoking and a non-standard diet could cause heart diseases. Secretary specialized healthcare and medical education department, the secretary Punjab assembly and others attended the meeting.