LAHORE: Expressing concerns over surge in air pollution due to mixing of fog and smog in severe cold weather conditions, health professionals have said that chest infections, fever, and cases of pneumonia in children and aged persons are on the rise.
Dean of the Institute of Public Health Prof Dr Zarfishan Tahir said on Thursday that elderly people, children and weak people are more vulnerable to harsh weather conditions. “Special care should be taken of young children and elderly people by ensuring use of warm clothes and hot drinks,” she said, adding: “Motorcycle riders must wear helmets and facemasks to save themselves from cold winds and pollution in the fog.”
She further said that in severe cold and fog, jogging in open grounds, parks, exercise and walk should be avoided because exercise makes breathing faster and the pollution in the fog goes to the lungs which may cause respiratory problems.
Prof Dr Zarfishan Tahir maintained that heart diseases, high blood pressure and other diseases increased in cold weather because intake of water and drinks decreases in cold weather, which thickens blood and constricts blood vessels, which affects blood circulation resulting in high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. She advised the people to use warm drinks, take dry fruits, wear warm clothes and avoid going outside unnecessarily in the cold and foggy weather, to avoid health complications.
Moreover, first year classes in medical and dental colleges of the Punjab will commence from 1st March.
The University of Health Sciences (UHS) has decided to introduce modular integrated curriculum in its affiliated medical colleges from this year. This initiative was taken on the directions of Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) to meet the accreditation standards of World Federation of Medical Education (WFME). This will allow clinical exposure to students’ right from their first year in the medical college, the Vice-Chancellor Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore, said.
Prof Rathore said the curriculum draft had entered the final phase of validation and theme identification and will be undertaken by taking on board the leadership of the affiliated institutes. The UHS will facilitate the medical education departments of the affiliated institutes for implementation of the integrated system, he added.
Further, the 185th meeting of the Advanced Studies and Research Board of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) was held here on Thursday with UHS Vice Chancellor Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore in the chair.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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