Islamabad,(Parliament Times): The two-day “Eleventh Annual Public Health Conference” was organized under the chairmanship of Dr. Shehzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor, Health Services Academy, Islamabad. Sana Ullah Ghumman, General Secretary, Pakistan National Heart Association, represented the PANAH.The conference hosted an information session on Dietary Risk Factors & NCDs in collaboration with PANAH, WHO and the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination. Administrator of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Pakistan Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala attended as a special guest,On this occasion, Pran was accompanied by the Ministry of Health Dr. Basir Khan Achakzai, Dr. Khawaja Masood Ahmed, Prof. Abdul Hameed Siddiqui, Nutrition, Food Safety and Environment WHO Dr. Noorin Aleem Nishtar, Consultant Food Policy Program Munawar Hussain, Dr. Saba Majid from Heart File and many others specially participated.The session began with the recitation from the Holy Quran.
Initially, the General Secretary of PANAH , Sana Ullah Ghumman, as the host of the session, told the participants that the foundation of PANAH was laid in 1984 at the FIC, which was set up to educate the people about heart disease so that they can avoid life-threatening diseases.He said that heart disease could not be controlled unless the causes of Smoking, Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB), and consumption of poultry were eliminated.Smoking and the use of Sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a major cause of fatal diseases, including heart disease. Failure to take steps to prevent this will further increase the burden of diseases on the economy of the country.
Participants in the session said that PANAH is not only a national but also an internationally recognized organization.Ministry of Health acknowledges PANAH services, we need more support from PANAH In order to control non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Participants said that excessive consumption of Sugar is the cause of many diseases including heart, obesity, diabetes and cancer.Taxes are an effective way to reduce their consumption. If we review the studies of Chile, Australia, Mexico, South Africa and other countries, you will find that when they implemented the Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB) practice, it not only reduced obesity and other diseases.There was also an increase in revenue, which in turn reduced the health burden.
At the end of the session, the guests were also awarded honorary shield .