ISLAMABAD: Riphah International University Vice ChancellorProf Dr Anees Ahmed has offered to provide a platform to implement a proper healthy diet plan in the students’ curriculum and spread awareness in remote areas.

“Along with physical exercise, healthy food is helpful in keeping the mind and body healthy. Government and civil society should join hands to promote healthy food consumption,” Prof Ahmed said while speaking to participants of a symposium on ‘Global Evidence and Policy Formulation for Healthy Diet’.

The event was organised by Pakistan National Heart Association (Panah) in the university.

Commandant and Executive Director AFIC Maj Gen Naseer Ahmad Samore said the Pakistani nation had a strong capacity to fight and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He further said for this, institutions should work together to not only treat patients but also develop a strong infrastructure for health.

“Panah and AFIC are working together to save people from heart diseases and that we have to adopt Islamic teachings about our food,” he said.

Panah President retired Maj Gen Masoodur Rehman Kiani said natural lifestyle and physical activities were mandatory for every individual to live a healthy life.

“We should be careful about our food and eating habits,” he added.

A speaker, retired Col Prof Shakeel Mirza, said infectious diseases like NCDs were increasing at an alarming rate in Pakistan.

He further said more than 1,200 people died due to diabetes every day in Pakistan while every fourth adult person was suffering from the disease.

Country Head GHAI Manoor Hussainsaid one of the main reasons for the spread of NCDs was ultra-processed products and sugary drinks.

A speaker, Prof Dr Abdul Basit, said Pakistan had become the third largest country in the world with diabetes, due to which it was facing social problems as well as economic losses.

“On one hand, hundreds of people are dying every day, while on the other, the government is spending billions of rupees on the management of the diseases caused by consumption of sweet drinks,” he said.

Panah General Secretary Sanaullah Ghumman said there was a need for awareness as well as policies to prevent heart diseases for which policymakers need to learn from other countries.

Prof Dr Wajid Ali said: “We need to act to prevent NCDs, before they start, for which we have strategies and we need the help of the government to implement them.”

He added that Pakistan’s civil society organisations could also play a role in this regard.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2024