The Speaker National Assembly, Dr Fehmida Mirza has called for a stringent media awareness campaign against Osteoporosis - the disease, which has reached an alarming stage especially in females that affects density and quality of bones and increases risk of bone fractures.
She said this in her message on the eve of World Osteoporosis Day being observed globally on October 20.
Highlighting the importance of awareness against the disease 'Osteoporosis,' she said that this day serves as a focal point for international community to inform and educate public and policy-makers on the importance of Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, treatment and its prognosis.
Fehmida said that the persistent increase of Osteoporosis especially in the females has reached an alarming situation. She said that this disease decreases the density and quality of the bones increasing the risk of bone fractures.
She said that out of every three women and five men, across the world, one each of gender group is suffering from Osteoporosis.
Fehmida further said that Pakistan is one of those countries, where prevalence rate of Osteoporosis is high. As per medical census, 97 percent of women aged between 75 to 84 years and 55percent of women aged 45 years are suffering from Osteoporosis, he added.
The NA speaker attributed lack of calcium products intake in daily diet to curb the disease. Further, she called upon NGOs involved in medical and health-care sector to persuade people to take early medication to curtail the degeneration of bones after it has been diagnosed.
She asked the Ministry of Health and the provincial health department to provide diagnostic and treatment facilities of Osteoporosis to at all the hospitals especially, in the rural areas on priority basis.