Gluttony lands many in hospitals

Health experts advise people to avoid overeating in hot weather

LAHORE:

A large number of citizens were rated in the emergency wards of hospitals across the province because of overeating on Eidul Azha.

According to doctors, extremely hot weather and consumption of spicy and unhygienic food caused gastroenteritis and other stomach diseases. Patients injured in road accidents and while slaughtering sacrificial animals were also brought the hospitals.

Hospital officials in Lahore said a large number of patients were treated on the three Eid days. The people host parties with relatives to eat dishes cooked after the sacrifice. A large number of them faced health issues, resulting in an increased workload on the doctors and paramedical staff in the hospitals.

A large number of patients was recorded in the Mayo, Sir Ganga Ram, Lahore General, Jinnah, Government Nawaz Sharif, Shahdara and Services hospitals along with the private health facilities.

"In the hospitals of the city, a large number of patients were those who had consumed oily and unhygienic food or overeaten meat of sacrificial animals," said Mayo Hospital Senior Medical Officer Dr Fareed Ahmad.

He said healthcare experts had advised the people to avoid overeating amid the hot weather and to eat light food.

The doctor said the families should avoid cooking spicy dishes that were the major cause of stomach problems.

He said the patients of heart, kidney and liver disease should especially avoid overeating.

Besides overeating, patients of heat stroke, victims of road accidents and untrained butchers were also among the patients treated during the holidays.

The Punjab government had instructed the all public sector hospitals to make arrangements to treat patients during the Eid holidays, including preparation of duty rosters to ensure day and night service in the emergency wards.

"Although there was load on the hospitals during the Eid days, their arrangements were excellent this time as the health ministry was monitoring the situation. Our doctors, nursing and paramedical staff were on duty and they sacrificed their Eid to provide treatment facilities to the people and we salute them," said Punjab Health Department spokesperson Sayed Hamad Raza.

According to figures released on Monday by the Punjab Local Government Department, more than 1.1 million sacrificial animals were sold across the province for the Eid.

A total of 1.5 million animals were brought to 292 livestock markets established across the province.

Lahore division recorded the highest sales, with 665,000 animals sold, including 443,000 goats and sheep, and 222,000 cows and bulls.

In Faisalabad, 112,000 animals were brought to the markets and 88,000 were sold. Bahawalpur recorded over 100,000 sales. In contrast, Dera Ghazi Khan had modest activity, with 38,000 small and 30,000 large animals sold.

The Rawalpindi markets saw 84,000 animals brought in, of which 46,000 were sold.