Health experts call for weight loss, exercise and healthy diet
Seminar organised by Express Media Group and Getz Pharma on chest burning
PHOTO: FILE
Weight loss and regular exercise, along with a healthy diet, are necessary to avoid chest burning. While eating, people should ensure that only one-third of their stomach is filled with food while half of the remaining part is filled with water.
Gastroenterologist and hepatologist Prof Dr Saad Khalid Niaz and nutrition expert Dr Muzammila said this while addressing a seminar on chest burning jointly organised by the Express Media Group and Getz Pharma.
There is hardly anyone in the country who has not felt chest burning, said Dr Niaz. In the United States, every year 300,000 new cases of non-cardiac chest pain are reported, which is primarily caused due to acidic stomaches, excessive fast food consumption and lack of exercise, he added. Dr Niaz maintained that consumption of unhealthy food affected stomach and caused belching and chest burning.
"Dinner should be had on time and smoking should be abandoned [to prevent chest burning]," the gastroenterologist said, adding that people should keep their heads high while sleeping and they should wear loose clothes.
Reducing stigma: Awareness on health problems
"A majority of the doctors in our country advice endoscopies without even diagnosing the disease," Dr Niaz said, adding that in other countries, endoscopies are not advised before a disease is completely diagnosed. An endoscopy requires a time of two to three months, he said.
Getz Pharma Managing Director (MD) Khalid Mahmood informed the seminar that at the time of its formation, the pharmaceutical company only comprised 24 people. Today, the number has increased to 5,000, he said.
Follow your heart to NICVD's Chest Pain Units
He explained that Getz Pharma was the second largest pharmaceutical company in Pakistan. It is also the third highest tax paying company, he said, adding that the pharmaceutical company was the first Pakistani company that was recognised by the World Health Organisation. Mahmood claimed that Getz Pharma was exporting its medicines to 20 countries.
"4 million people are working in the pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan," the MD said, adding that Getz Pharma was fulfilling 95 per- cent needs of the local market.
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Mahmood lamented that only 0.9 per cent of the GDP was spent on health in Pakistan. Of every 1,000 newborns in Pakistan, 64 die, he said, adding that the condition was better in Bangladesh where of 1,000 newborns, 28 died. In Singapore, only two to four newborns die on average among 1,000, he said, urging the government to increase funds for the health sector.
Gastroenterologist and hepatologist Prof Dr Saad Khalid Niaz and nutrition expert Dr Muzammila said this while addressing a seminar on chest burning jointly organised by the Express Media Group and Getz Pharma.
There is hardly anyone in the country who has not felt chest burning, said Dr Niaz. In the United States, every year 300,000 new cases of non-cardiac chest pain are reported, which is primarily caused due to acidic stomaches, excessive fast food consumption and lack of exercise, he added. Dr Niaz maintained that consumption of unhealthy food affected stomach and caused belching and chest burning.
"Dinner should be had on time and smoking should be abandoned [to prevent chest burning]," the gastroenterologist said, adding that people should keep their heads high while sleeping and they should wear loose clothes.
Reducing stigma: Awareness on health problems
"A majority of the doctors in our country advice endoscopies without even diagnosing the disease," Dr Niaz said, adding that in other countries, endoscopies are not advised before a disease is completely diagnosed. An endoscopy requires a time of two to three months, he said.
Getz Pharma Managing Director (MD) Khalid Mahmood informed the seminar that at the time of its formation, the pharmaceutical company only comprised 24 people. Today, the number has increased to 5,000, he said.
Follow your heart to NICVD's Chest Pain Units
He explained that Getz Pharma was the second largest pharmaceutical company in Pakistan. It is also the third highest tax paying company, he said, adding that the pharmaceutical company was the first Pakistani company that was recognised by the World Health Organisation. Mahmood claimed that Getz Pharma was exporting its medicines to 20 countries.
"4 million people are working in the pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan," the MD said, adding that Getz Pharma was fulfilling 95 per- cent needs of the local market.
Health Week: Camps set up in 725 facilities
Mahmood lamented that only 0.9 per cent of the GDP was spent on health in Pakistan. Of every 1,000 newborns in Pakistan, 64 die, he said, adding that the condition was better in Bangladesh where of 1,000 newborns, 28 died. In Singapore, only two to four newborns die on average among 1,000, he said, urging the government to increase funds for the health sector.