‘Health fairs help diagnose, treat ailments’

LAHORE: Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Medical and Dental College, Lahore organised community health fair 2017 at Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex, Lahore with the aim to inculcate healthy habits and values to the general populace which is often left in the dark and make people understand the boundaries between health and disease. Community health fairs are fundamental to cherishing a healthy and functional society.

Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex Chairman and Dean Prof Dr Farid Ahmad Khan while inaugurating the event, said these health fairs help in early diagnosis, treatment and to raise awareness about many diseases prevailing in our society. My mission is to create easily accessible opportunities in order to provide basic health facilities for the general public because healthy people can make a healthy society. He praised the efforts of organisers for holding a successful community health fair 2017 and stressed on conducting these type of activities on a regular basis.

It’s a tradition of the hospital, serving as a platform where students and the community members alike can come together to share ideas, think outside the routine of textbook learning, and come to realise that the ideas garnered from a moment’s reflection can, if carried through, make their mark in contributing to a healthier and safer future for our country.

Following sections were arranged in order to provide various health facilities to the general public: Basic health segment aimed at providing free screening for attendees of the hospital fair and educate them, the importance of basic health parameters. This year the attendees were provided the following facilities: Uric acid estimation test, hepatitis screening test, estimation of blood sugar level, bone mass density, blood pressure, BMI, and general physical examination

According to a 2005 WHO Pakistan Survey, chronic diseases are the major causes for 42 percent of all deaths. Chronic diseases are persistent such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS and cancer. This section of the health fair aimed at educating our community about present health issues so that steps to preventive healthcare can be taken. This included 10 booths consisted of doctors and four medical students.

People were provided information about the specialties, including cardiovascular system, pulmonology, rheumatology, nutrition, oral hygiene, nephrology, maternal & infant health, immunisation, communicable, non-communicable diseases, and dermatology.

In addition, there was a segment to cater the younger ones, where kids had learned about healthy eating habits through games, skits and fun learning methodology. The various stalls included general cleanliness guidelines, jumping castle, health centered puppet show, magic show, face painting, pin the tail, hand-washing techniques, colouring, drawing, and story-telling. Food stalls were also set up for the attendees of the event.