Call to raise awareness to prevent NCDs
Speakers at a seminar yesterday said there is a severe lack of awareness regarding prevention and diagnosis of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Bangladesh.
Contrary to traditional beliefs that NCDs are most common in developed countries, developing countries such as Bangladesh are also experiencing high number of patients suffering from these diseases, they added.
The speakers said this at the scientific seminar on 'Latest trends in lifestyle modification' jointly organised by Eminence and Non-Communicable Diseases Forum (NCD-F) in the city.
Non-communicable diseases are mostly lifestyle diseases that can be prevented with simple modifications in the everyday lifestyles.
National Prof Brig Gen (retd) Dr Abdul Malik said, "NCDs are simply lifestyle diseases that are triggered by our diets, smoking habits and such."
"The treatments of these diseases are costly. Therefore, prevention should be prioritised," said Dr Malik, also former adviser to a caretaker government and secretary general of National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute.
Prof Emeritus Sufia Kamal called on all to adopt preventive measures in the daily life to avoid NCDs.
"We tend to spoil our children with junk foods and what not, which may eventually lead to heart diseases, said Prof Sufia, also a former adviser to a caretaker government and a former director of National Institute of Cardio-Vascular Diseases (NICVD).
National Prof Dr Nurul Islam underscored the importance of curbing smoking habits, saying that smoking itself leads to many diseases.
He called on the organisers to spread the simple message that it is mandatory for everyone to eat a lot of vegetables to remain healthy and free from any heart diseases or surgeries.
Speaking as the special guest, State Minister Health Mozibur Rahman Fakir said ensuring healthcare to everyone is a part of the constitution and thus a national obligation.
Technology regarding healthcare has come a long way in the recent years, he said and hoped that such technologies would increase even further in future.
Prof Dr AKM Rafique Uddin, head of medicine of Dhaka Medical College, presided over the programme.
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