'Take steps to prevent cardiac diseases'

Speakers at a seminar yesterday urged the government to undertake a preventive cardiology programme and initiating coordination with the National Centre for Control of Rheumatic Fever and Heart Diseases (NCCRF&HD) to help preventing cardiac diseases in the country.
The preventive measure should be implemented by the NCCRF&HD under the control of director general of health services for coordinating the activity of the collaborating hospitals, regional centre, medical colleges, district hospitals and upazila health complexes, they said.
They were speaking at a seminar on 'Preventive cardiology programme: Bangladesh perspective' organised jointly by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the NCCRF&HD at Hotel Sheraton in the city.
Former adviser to the caretaker government Prof Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Malik addressed the seminar as the chief guest. Prof Razia Sultana, director of NCCRF&HD, chaired the seminar.
Prof Abul Faiz, director general of health services, and Prof KMHS Sirajul Islam spoke as special guests while Dr Md Mustafa Zaman was the guest of honor.
Prof Brig (retd) Abdul Malik said numbers of patients suffering from heart diseases are gradually increasing in the country, which is a great threat to the national health.
The heart diseases will increase in an alarming rate unless measures are not undertaken on time, he said adding that the government has given priority to the health sector and as part of its proper steps have also been taken to prevent heart diseases.
As a national institution, the NCCRF&HD should play the pioneering role in preventing cardiac diseases and it is the demand of the time that the centre would play its role as the national centre for preventing cardiac diseases, he added.
Prof Razia Sultana Mahmud, director of NCCRF&HD and Dr Kamrun Nahar Choudhury, assistant prof of NCCRF&HD, jointly presented a paper at the seminar.
In the paper they mentioned that most heart diseases are preventable and cost effective and for Bangladesh's perspective we have to decide the necessary steps that need to be taken to prevent Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD).