A large number of students and the members of the faculty attended a 'Public Awareness Walk' arranged to celebrate the 'World Health Day' organised by the Department of Community Medicine and Public Health Sciences at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro on Monday.
"World Health Day" is celebrated on 7th April to mark the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organisation in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for "World Health Day" that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. The theme for 2013 is "Control Your Blood Pressure" while addressing the participants, the Vice Chancellor Professor Mashoor Alam Shah expressed that the "High Blood Pressure" is a global public health issue, one in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is both preventable and treatable. In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of the condition, together with other cardiovascular risk factors, has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart disease. The risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by: reducing salt intake; eating a balanced diet; avoiding harmful use of alcohol; taking regular physical activity; maintaining a healthy body weight; and avoiding tobacco use.
He added that the media, government, health workers, civil society, the private sector, families and individuals can join forces to reduce the disease and its impact by educating the people regarding preventive measures for high blood pressure. Dr Aneela Atta Ur Rahman, Head of Department of Community Medicine and Public Health Sciences, and the host of this event suggested that there should be inclusion of "Health Education" subject in the curriculum right from primary schooling to matriculation. It will help to adopt the healthy lifestyle from early age. She also paid vote of thanks to all participants of the walk.
At the end of the walk there was a research activity by faculty members and postgraduate students of Department of Community Medicine and Public Health Sciences, in which blood pressure of participants was checked and they were given health education regarding prevention from high blood pressure, by Dr Gulzar Usman, Dr Muhammad Ilyas Siddiqui, Dr Ghulam Shabir Abro, Dr Wali Muhammad and Dr Jawad Qadri. The Registrar of LUMHS Muhammad Saleh Rajar, Professor Salma Shaikh, Professor Rafi Ghori, Professor Bikharam, Professor Roshan Ara, Professor Sameen Afzal Junejo, Professor Sohail Almani, Dr Riaz Raja and Dr Muneer Banglani also addressed the participants regarding the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure.