Staff Reporter
Principal PGMI/AMC & renowned Gynaecologist Prof. Dr. Sardar Muhammad Al-freed Zafar has said that the negative effects of the growing trend of smoking in women is a big threat not only to them but their babies as well.
He added that because of smoking women suffer from many problems due to which newborns enter in this world with many congenital diseases.
He further said that premature births and low birth weight in infants are more likely to be smokers’ women fate because many babies cannot even celebrate their first birthday which is a matter of great concern for the society.
Prof. Dr. Al-freed Zafar was addressing an awareness workshop on “Smoking and its Problems” held at Lahore General Hospital (LGH) on Sunday.
Professor of Pulmonology Dr. Khalid Waheed Associate Professor of Medicine Dr. Israr-ul-Haq Toor, Dr. Irfan Malik and Dr. Abdul Aziz also elaborated on the harmful effects of cigarettes and other drugs.
Principal PGMI/AMC said that billions of rupees are spent on smoking every year which is also considered as a big burden on the economy of the country.
He said that although the Government has banned smoking at public places and offices but there is a room that the laws should be strictly enforced as a smoker’s home, offices, private places and other people living in the vicinity are at risk of contracting the disease
. He further mentioned that smoking causes such suffering which is the enemy not only of oneself but also of others and harms them.
Prof. Khalid Waheed and Dr. Israr-ul-Haq Toor disclosed that 1200 youths in Pakistan are addicted to smoking every day due to which all the organs of the body are badly affected and very dangerous diseases arise which lead to fever, tuberculosis, lungs and increases the chances of getting cancer.
They said that heavy duty on cigarette business could be used to discourage smoking among the people as we all know that smoking causes cancer of throat, jaw and other organs.
Dr Irfan Malik and Dr. Abdul Aziz said that smoking has a bad effect on the lungs as well which creates long term problems for human body.
They also said that smokers have more been affected during corona virus because smoking kills all the immunity in the human body and damage their organs.
Later talking to media, Prof. Dr. Al-freed Zafar said that according to the World Health Organization, about one lakh people die in Pakistan every year while around 80 lakhs people around the world die due to various diseases arose by smoking. Tobacco is the cause of 90% of all deaths from lung cancer and 20% from all types of cancer in the world, he said.
He claimed that the only way to avoid COPD is to abstain from smoking altogether. If you claim to love others, quit smoking so that every moment of your life will be healthier, he said in response to a question.
According to a conservative estimate, Pakistan ranks 15th in the world in smoking in which 23% of men and 6% of women are included.
