PMA is devoted to raising public awareness about health matters

KARACHI: Dr S.M Qaiser Sajjad, Honorary Secretary General, Pakistan Medical Association (Centre), stated that when it came to health issues and other ailments, PMA had always brought awareness.

He articulated that members of PMA think that prevention is better than cure. So, they always emphasise the importance of disease prevention. For more than two years, they have been at the forefront of promoting illness awareness and prevention on COVID-19. One month before the outbreak of COVID-19 in Pakistan, the government received a warning from the World Health Organisation.

Further, One must take care of own health. Having a problem in any portion of the body would have a ripple effect throughout the entire body. The same is true for the digestive system, where common complaints include abdominal cramps, acid reflux, nausea, and flatulence. It is imperative that the patient see a doctor if these symptoms continue for an extended period of time, as they could indicate a more severe ailment.

Subsequently, in Pakistan, stomach issues are fast spreading to epidemic proportions. Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium discovered in 1982, has long been thought to be the cause of stomach ulcers, but depression, spicy food, and smoking in any form were previously thought to be the primary causes. Helicobacter pylori, the most common cause of stomach illnesses in Pakistan, affects almost 80 per cent of the country's population.

Stomach cramps or searing pains that get worse when the stomach is empty are signs of H. Pylori infection. Other symptoms include nausea or weight loss.

Moreover, from contaminated food, water, or eating utensils, H. pylori bacteria could be ingested by humans. In regions with high concentrations of people and those lacking adequate water and sewage treatment, infections are more likely to occur. Saliva and other bodily fluids from an infected person can spread the infection.

Acute and chronic gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, lymphoma, and even cancer have all been linked to Helicobacter pylori. Like all impoverished countries, Pakistan has a high prevalence of H. pylori, with estimates ranging from 50 to 90 per cent. In clinical investigations, H. Pylori bacteria have been shown to enhance the risk of stomach cancer. 

In Pakistan, patients typically undergo a blood test or a stool test to determine the presence of bacteria. These tests have a two- to four-day turnaround time, and the patient is still in distress during that time.

He conducted press conference with Dr Syed Muhammad Zahid Azam, Prof. of Medicine & Gastroenterology /Hepatology, Dr Qazi M. Wasiq, Hon. Treasurer PMA Centre, Dr Sonia Naqvi, Hon. President PMA Karachi, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, Hon. General Secretary PMA Karachi.