Stroke a curable disease, says Salman

LAHORE:Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique participated as a special guest in the symposium organised on the occasion of World Stroke Day at Punjab Institute of Neurosciences on Wednesday.

On this occasion, Secretary Emergency Services Punjab Dr. Rizwan Naseer, PINS Executive Director Prof Asif Bashir, Prof Qasim Bashir, CEO Punjab Health Initiative Management Company Dr Ali Razaq, Principal Services Institute of Medical Sciences Prof Zohra Khanum, Prof Athar Javed, Prof Nadir Zafar, MS PINS Dr Umar Ishaq and MS General Hospital Dr Faryad participated.

In connection with the World Stroke Day, the symposium was organised by the Head of the Department Services Institute of Medical Sciences Prof Qasim Bashir. Prof Athar Javed discussed the causes and treatment of stroke. A special lecture on its treatment was delivered.

Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique also inaugurated the pre-notification system on this occasion. In his address to the participants in the symposium, the minister said that the number of stroke patients is increasing at an alarming rate all over the world, including Pakistan. He stressed on adopting a healthy lifestyle to live a healthy life.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that paralysis occurs when the blood supply is disturbed or stopped. Stroke is a diagnosable and treatable disease. Every fourth person above 25 years of age in Pakistan is at risk of stroke. Historic air ambulance service of Punjab is continuing successfully. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research with 915 beds is being built in Lahore at a cost of Rs55 billion.

Twelve stroke treatment centres are running successfully in Punjab. He said that the scope of stroke centres is being expanded at district and tehsil levels. The Punjab government will fully support this project. We really need to work on road safety.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the Chief Minister's Children's Heart Surgery Programme is going on successfully. The Punjab government under the leadership of Maryam Nawaz is working on smog; 65% of air pollution is caused by vehicle and motorcycle smoke. Indian Punjab has also done nothing on smog.

Khawaja Salman Rafique congratulated Prof Qasim Bashir and his team for organising the symposium. Executive Director Punjab Institute of Neurosciences Prof Asif Bashir praised the government’s support. Secretary Emergency Services Punjab Dr. Rizwan Naseer said that more than one and a half million people have been rescued in Punjab so far.