Lets stop pollution, save lungs

Kathmandu, Apr. 8 (RSS): The two-day national conference on TB and chest diseases and the second  general meeting of the tuberculosis and chest physicians began here otherday with the slogan "let's stop pollution and save lungs."

Minister for Health Dr. Ram Baran Yadav inaugurated the conference organised by the Nepal Association of TB and Chest Physicians (NATCP).

Addressing the meet, Minister Yadav said that since smoking and tobacco consumption causes and increases the risk of various chest diseases, tuberculosis and cancer, it would help to prevent these diseases if all the physicians and specialists put up joint efforts in this direction.

On the occasion, Health Minister Dr. Yadav distributed honorary membership of the association to Director of the Scientific Department of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lungs Diseases (IUATLD) Prof. (Dr.) Donald enarson, president of Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association Dr. Masakaju Aoki and Dr. James Newell of the newfield institute.

Likewise, Minister Yadav also gave away the certificates of life membership of the association to chest physicians Dr. Kashikant Jha, Dr. N.B. Subedi, Dr. Nabindra Raj Basnet, Dr. Rajendra Pant, Dr. Nawaraj Sharma, Dr. Sushil Kumar Chaudhari and Dr. Sarachchandra Barma.

At the programme, Minister of State for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol expressed best wishes for the success of the national conference organised on the occasion of the World Health Day 2000.

He said tuberculosis was basically a product of excessive smoking and drinking.

Although tuberculosis is a dangerous disease, it can be treated by taking in medicine regularly, he said adding- doctors cannot make men immortal but they certainly can help make life safe and healthy.

Minister of State for Health Dangol also urged the donor countries to assist in Nepal's health sector so that all kinds of treatment facilities are available in the country and people won't have to go abroad for treatment.

Extending best wishes for the success of the conference, health secretary Srikant Regmi hoped that the conference would come out with concrete suggestions on the effective tuberculosis prevention strategy for the country.

Director of the National Tuberculosis Centre and the SAARC Tuberculosis Centre Dr. Dirgha Singh Bam  said  the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and lungs diseases were working with priority in the prevention and treatment of Lung Diseases and tuberculosis which are caused by tobacco consumption, environmental pollution and respiratory infections.

On the occasion, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association president Dr. Masakaju Aoki, I.U.A.T.L.D. scientific director  Prof. (Dr.) Donald Enarson and Miss Mette Klauman of the LHL-norway spoke about the achievements made by Nepal in the field of tuberculosis prevention.

At the conference presided over by president of Nepal Association of TB and chest Physicians (NATCP) Dr. Gaurishankar Lal Das, Vice-President Narbada Lal Maskey, general-secretary Dr. Thirman Shakya, president of Nepal Medical Association Dr. Anand Shrestha, central president of Nepal Anti-Tuberculosis Association Devendra Bahadur Pradhan and director general of the Department of Health Services Dr. B.D. Chataut also expressed their views.

Likewise in Pokhara, the South-East Asia anti-tobacco use torch has been brought here  from Kathmandu.

The torch was brought here by a group of street Drama artistes led by Ghogreth Bhurtel of the National Health Education Information and Communication Centre Via Abukhaireni and Byas Municipality along the Prithivi Highway.

The torch was handed over to Dilliram Baral of the district public health office, kaski, otherday.

Staff at the district public health office, Rajendra Basnet of the west regional sports development committee and president of Kaski district sports development committee Ganjaman Gurung accorded a warm welcome to the team when it arrived here with the torch.

The team, together with sports development committee personnel, health workers, staff of the Jaycees organise various programmes such as awareness rallies, street plays, video film shows and other anti-tobacco awareness programmes in Pokhara for six days.

The torch with the message "Let's free ourselves from tobacco Consumption" at the call of  the World Health Organisation was handed over to Nepal from Bangladesh on April 1. It will be taken to Thailand by April 2.

Meanwhile, the local Nepal Red Cross Society Blood Transfusion Centre, Ramghat, collected  1,436 unit blood from 50 various institutions and organisations in the last nine months.

The blood collected from different social service and community organisations will be given to the needy patients with blood level less than 78.90 per cent in their bodies.

During the period, Nepal Independent Transport Workers Union, Kaski, donated 119 unit blood, the largest amount for the period.

Meanwhile, general secretary of Nepal Red Cross Society Devratna Dhakwa inaugurated a coordinating seminar entitled "Safe Blood Starts With Me" organised by the blood transfusion centre, Ramghat recently.

On the occasion, he said the donor's honesty counts much in the safety of the blood donated.

Various other persons including medical superintendent of the west regional hospital  Dr. Somat Singh Tulachan. Physician Dr. Buddhi Bahadur Thapa, Nepal Red Cross Society Kaski district president Gehendreshwar Koirala and representatives of professional institutions and organisations also expressed their views. Convenor of Nepal Red Cross Society Blood Transfusion Centre Shiva Prasad Koirala presided.          

About 30 persons including  donors, volunteers, office-bearers of various social institutions and organisations, Red Cross office-bearers, doctors and journalists attended the day-long seminar.

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