LAHORE: Various diseases affect the human digestive system, liver vein, major arteries of the body, heart, lungs, ribs and chest structures. Tuberculosis (TB) adversely affects lung function. TB is the 12th leading cause of death worldwide. This disease has caused more deaths worldwide than diseases like HIV/AIDS. More than 10 million cases of asthma are registered in our country every year.
These views were expressed during a special awareness seminar on lung diseases organized by Mir Khalilur Rahman Memorial Society (Jang Group of Newspapers) and Pakistan Chest Foundation. Experts like Prof. Mahmood Ali Malik, Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal and Prof. Hamid Hasan participated in the seminar. The inaugural speech was delivered by the former chairman of Pakistan Chest Foundation Prof. Sohlatullah Khan. The panel of experts included Prof. Shamshad Rasool Awan, Prof. Saqib Saeed, Prof. Kamran Cheema, Prof. Ashraf Jamal, Prof. Salman Ayaz, Prof. Zaheer Akhtar and Dr. Saqib Musharraf. Among the guests were Ishaq Ruhi, Dr. Abdul Majeed Akhtar, Dr. Muhammad Taimur and Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
Wasif Nagi, Chairman Mir Khalilur Rehman Memorial Society performed the hosting duties. Addressing the seminar, Prof. Mahmood Ali Malik, former Principal, KEMC/AIMC Lahore said that TB is a disease that Quaid-e-Azam (Founder of Pakistan) at the time of establishment of Pakistan.
“TB is the second most important infectious disease after COVID-19. TB has caused more deaths worldwide than other diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Since 2000, more than 66 million people have died from TB. They have been treated and they have been saved, Ayurveda is playing an important role in their treatment. We should keep our surroundings clean,” said Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal, VCFJM university, Sr. VHPSP said that TB is a disease caused by a bacterial infection called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a contagious disease that spreads from one person to another through respiratory droplets Mycobacterium Tuberculosis is a bacterium that infects the body and causes TB disease. According to WHO estimates, more than 2 billion people worldwide Cannon 95% of them are infected with tuberculosis and are unaware of it. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection does not cause TB in everyone. It usually affects people with weakened immune systems, such as children and the elderly “Such seminars help create awareness among people”, he said.
Prof. Hamid Hasan, Principal, Al Aleem Medical College, MS Gulab Devi Hospital, said that TB, along with asthma (also known as bronchial asthma) affects millions of people worldwide. He said that more than 10 million cases of asthma are registered annually in our country. According to a report released by the World Health Organization, 262 million people worldwide suffer from asthma and it causes 461,000 deaths. People often think of asthma as a minor problem but the report highlights that asthma is one of the serious diseases that can lead to death. It mostly affects children under the age of 18. Asthma is a lung disease that affects the airways and narrows the passages through which we breathe. Asthma causes inflammation, swelling and overproduction of mucus in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. If any of you notice these symptoms, take them seriously.
Prof. Khalid Waheed, Chairman, Pakistan Chest Foundation emphasized the importance of knowing the symptoms of asthma. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, chest tightness and pain, wheezing (whistling sound while breathing), frequent and rapid breathing, mouth breathing, cough, dry cough at night, respiratory infections, allergies, back Retraction (involves pulling the skin between the ribs and neck inward. During breathing).
Professor Khalid said other causes include allergies (such as eczema and hay fever), pollution, poor environmental conditions, obesity, exposure to chemicals and dust, low birth weight, respiratory or viral infections and smoking. If parents or siblings have asthma, the chances of developing this disease are high, he added. COPD is a common lung condition caused by damage to the airways or other parts of the lungs. This damage blocks airflow and causes difficulty breathing.
“It is linked to long-term harmful exposure to particles or gases, often from cigarette smoke. Chronic inflammation causes narrowing of the airways and affects lung function”, explained Prof. Sohlat. Patients with COPD may experience lung damage or mucus build-up, he said.
Prof. Dr. Saqib Saeed spoke on pneumonia, an infection caused by bacterial, viral or fungal infection that causes inflammation and fluid in the lungs. “Common causes of pneumonia include flu, Covid-19 and pneumococcal disease. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of pneumonia”, said Dr. Saqib. Professor Dr. Kamran Cheema spoke about ILD (Interstitial Lung Disease). ILD causes scarring (fibrosis) in the lungs.
“The most common symptom of ILD is shortness of breath, often accompanied by a dry cough, chest pain, fatigue and sometimes weight loss,” said Dr. Kamran. In most cases, lung damage occurs before symptoms appear. In this case, one should immediately consult a doctor, he advised.
Untreated severe cases can lead to life-threatening complications such as high blood pressure or heart and lung failure. Prof. Dr. Ashraf Jamal spoke about lung cancer, which is the most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Dr. Ashraf said that by giving up smoking, the chances of lung cancer are significantly reduced. Prof. Dr. Salman Ayaz discussed vaping, which occurs when a person inhales vapors from handheld electronic devices such as e-cigarettes or vape pens. Prof. Dr. Zaheer Akhtar said that the problem of smog has intensified in Pakistan due to which diseases are spreading. He observed that burning of crop residues, smoke emitted from vehicles and industries and deforestation have worsened the situation.
Dr. Saqib Musharraf said that snoring is a disease but most people do not consider it a problem. “We should treat it as a serious disease and focus on treatment,” advises Dr. Saqib.
Prof. Dr. Ejaz said that while sleeping in people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, breathing stops and starts repeatedly. There are treatments available for this problem, he said, one treatment being a device that uses positive pressure to keep the airway open during sleep.
Wasif Nagi said that it is important to prevent these diseases. He said that we should adopt a healthy lifestyle, avoid smoking, drinking alcohol and do healthy activities. –