Jinnah Hospital organises awareness walk, seminar against smog

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Pic05-068 SUKKUR: Nov 05 – A motorist is passing through the smog on a bridge. ONLINE PHOTO by S P Khan

LAHORE: Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC) and Jinnah Hospital organised an awareness seminar and walk to sensitise the people regarding the adverse effect smog on human health on Monday.

Principal Prof Dr Rashid Zia, Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Sohail Saqlain, faculty members, doctors, nurses and attendants of the patients participated in the walk and seminar.

MS Dr Sohail Saqlain and other doctors distributed face masks and awareness literature among the participants on the occasion.

The speakers, while addressing the seminar, said that burning of paddy puddles, smoke producing old vehicles, hours-long traffic jam on the roads, use of sub-standard fuel by industrial units, rapid and ill-planned urbanisation and drought are the basic causes of the smog.

They said that collective efforts and planning by different departments with a multi-sectoral approach is required to overcome the issue. Community participation is also essential to take immediate measures to control the pollution.

MS Dr Sohail Saqlain informed that the hospital administration is distributing awareness literature and face masks among the attendants of the patients. He said that old-age citizens with weak physique, children and patients with respiratory diseases are more vulnerable to the effects of smog.

He said that smog can produce pneumonia in children and old-age persons, therefore, such people should adopt precautionary measures against the smog to avoid falling seriously ill.