KARACHI: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Senior Physician and Professor Masroor Ahmed on Tuesday urged people to adopt precautionary measures in handling sacrificial animals as Congo Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has emerged to be a very real and deadly threat.
He gave the warning while discussing “Medical Aspects of Qurbani,” in a session organised by JPMC. He said the recent occurrence of Congo fever in the metropolis demanded extreme care on part of city administration as well as people in general.
CCHF, he said, is caused due to a virus that spreads among humans through contact with infected animals.
“I will advise the generous use of good quality mosquito repellent lotions by those visiting the cattle markets,” the senior physician said.
These visitors were also asked to wear full sleeve shirts with equal care to keep themselves properly covered as a precaution against coming into contact with infection-causing ticks in animals.
Dr Masroor Ahmed also advised against handling ticks with bare hands and asked application of tweezers, if required, to remove and destroy any ticks
He reiterated that children must be discouraged from going closer to the animals.
On the occasion urging people to maintain the spirit of sacrifice, he asked people to avoid over-consumption of protein and to balance their meal with adequate consumption of vegetables.
While asking to avoid overindulgence in context of meat, the senior doctor said food lovers celebrating the festival need to reduce salt and spices intake while trend to cook in animal fat must be discouraged as this is very difficult to be burnt down.
People must also not forget to ensure regular physical exercise during the festival, he said.
Quran Institute Director and Sheikhul Hadees Mufti Ata-ur-Rehman spoke about the Spiritual aspects of sacrifice and reminded the audience of their duty to maintain cleanliness.
He said the animal as a whole is regarded as a person’s sacrifice, therefore proper disposal of offal and trash is also his or her responsibility – that too in a clean manner as prescribed under religion.
Addressing those planning to offer the sacrifice, he said this obligation of theirs may not be realized if the edible portion is kept for one own self and the family and friends while the offal and trash are left unattended causing inconvenience for members of the society in general.
The Sindh Jinnah Medical University Vice-Chancellor Professor SM Tariq Rafi said the seminar was an attempt to increase awareness about the challenges that come with Eidul Azha and provide guidance for prevention of lethal diseases like Congo Fever.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Lubna Ansari thanked the speakers and urged for moderation in the intake of food calling it our Spiritual duty.
[…] Health experts ask for precautionary measures in wake Congo virus […]
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