No Food, Tonic Better Than Mother's Milk Against Pneumonia: Experts

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Nov, 2022 ) :There is no food and tonic better than mother's milk for the health and physical development of newborns.

Postgraduate Medical Institute Principal Professor Dr. Al-Fareed Zafar said this while addressing the participants of a seminar on Pneumonia diseases at Lahore General Hospital (LGH) here on Sunday.

He said that mothers should breastfeed their infants for at least 6 months to develop immunity and they can protect against seasonal influences, pneumonia, respiratory disease, flu and chest infection. Medical experts said that according to the WHO, every year 26 lac children in the world lose their lives due to pneumonia.

He said that pneumonia is a disease of the lungs and respiratory system that affects lungs, the patient feel difficulty in breathing, high fever, chest infection, vomiting and drowsiness. Congestion and tremors are also among the symptoms of pneumonia, he added. He said that Pneumonia can occur at any age, but physically weak people and children should take special precautions in the winter season so that they are protected from this disease.

The principal PGMI said that the government had also included pneumonia vaccine in the immunization course for newborns in the EPI program, so parents should complete immunization course to protect their newborns at any cost. It must be done so that the children could be protected from infectious diseases like pneumonia by strengthening the immune system.

He added that especially in winter season, the healthcare of newborn children is the 100% responsibility of parents and they should make sure to follow precautionary measures because these innocent children cannot even change their sides in the bed on their own. He said that it is duty of the parents to take full care of them as their slight negligence and failure to complete the course of immunizations vaccine could cause the infants to suffer from many diseases including pneumonia which are life-threatening.

He said that every year millions of babies die before celebrating their first birthday.

Prof Faheem Afzal and Prof Muhammad Shahid said that the majority of children were deprived of other basic necessities in Pakistan due to lack of awareness about diseases, economic conditions and other reasons. He said that several children were deprived of basic necessities including healthy diets during the winter season due to lack of resources and such children get colds and flu easily which turn into pneumonia every year and due to which thousands of children do not reach the age of one year and they die due to pneumonia. He appealed to the mothers to keep their children on breast feeding and do not forget to get timely vaccinations and protect their children from dust and smoke.

Dr Aftab Anwar, Dr Abdul Aziz and Dr Muhammad Maqsood said that it is necessary for parents to pay special attention to the health of children, especially in winter, and according to their means, provide better food, warm drinks and warm clothes for children so that they can be able to withstand cold air and cold weather.

Later, while talking to media representatives, Dr Al-Fareed Zafar said that the elderly and people suffering from diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, heart disease and other diseases are easy victims of pneumonia.

Special care should be taken in the season and increasing the consumption of protein, the use of eggs helps them not only physically but also to boost immunity and this immunity helps to protect their body from diseases. He said that if you feel difficulty in breathing with a cold or fever, you should get a mandatory examination from a qualified physician so that the disease can be prevented with appropriate treatment before it progresses.

Along with this, awareness, pamphlets about precautionary measures were also distributed among the people.