Zubair Qureshi
While addressing a symposium at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday, President Dr Arif Alvi urged the quarters concerned to create awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD) and adopt a healthy lifestyle which will reduce the death rate due to heart diseases.
The symposium was organized by a private hospital (Maroof International) to commemorate “World Heart Day – 2022” on September 29.
The president added that adopting preventive measures could help reduce the risk of disease which would also decrease the burden on the national health care system.
This year World Heart Day is being commemorated with the theme of “Use Heart for Every Heart” aiming to urge people to think differently, make the right decisions, help others and reach as many individuals as possible to help achieve cardiovascular health for every heart.
Addressing the ceremony, the president highlighted that 25pc of deaths in Pakistan were caused by CVD and globally 18.6 million deaths were caused due to heart disease and stroke. He said that the main causes of CVD included hypertension, diabetes, tobacco use, unhealthy diet, obesity and physical inactivity.
He stated that CVD could be prevented by changing the lifestyle; consuming a healthier diet consisting of legumes, fruits and vegetables; reducing red meat, fatty and deep-fried food consumption; quitting smoking, and playing sports.
He stressed the importance of educating the patients and the general public regarding preventive means to counter disease by repeating the messages through effective, impactful and persistent awareness campaigns.
He said that with relentless and coordinated efforts, we had managed the COVID-19 pandemic effectively and we could reduce the blow of CVD by adopting a similar approach.
CEO of the Maroof hospital, Mr Haroon Naseer, also addressed the occasion, whereas Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Dr Mahim Akmal Malik, and Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Mir Waheed, briefed the participants about World Heart Day and cardiovascular health.
