Sindh Health Minister, Dr. Sagheer Ahmed said that the Sindh government would soon initiate a health insurance scheme for the health journalist to ensure their well being and improvement in their lifestyle. He also announced the establishment of a dispensary for the health journalists at Karachi Press Club.
He expressed these views while speaking as a chief guest at a one-day media training workshop on Swine Flu, “Reporting on swine flu and its awareness” jointly organized by Professional Development Centre, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and Association of Health Journalist Pakistan (AHJP) today at Dow Medical College, Karachi.
The media workshop was attended by a large number participants including Seniors Medical Professionals, Senior Journalists, UNAIDS representative and as well as medical allied specialists.
Dr. Farhan Essa Abdullah, Clinical Microbiologist and Director Operations and Technical Serivces, Dr. Essa’s Laboratory was the coordinator of the workshop.
Dr. Sagheer expressed his concern on the rise in various disease including swine flu in the country, saying that it is a challenge for healthcare professional as well. Health Department, with a view to controlling the outbreak of Swine flu, is doing awareness campaign through print and electronic media to sensitise the masses regarding preventive measures so that they could protect themselves from the disease by adopting precautionary steps.
He appreciated the efforts of Dow University of Health Sciences on their progress due to their high level of commitment and motivation. He further said that, health reporting is not an easy job and media has to play its role by creating awareness among the masses. He lauded the efforts of both print and electronic media adding that campaign of awareness is still needed. Therefore active role of the participants is required.
Prof. Masood Hameed Khan, Vice Chancellor, DUHS on the occasion said that health reporting is different from general reporting and as such journalists required to have more knowledge and a good pool of relevant terminologies and well researched facts. He said that DUHS with the collaboration of Karachi Press Club would soon initiate a Certificate Course for health journalist in order to enhance the journalists’ professional skills.
Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed from Ojha Institute said that, In US 36000 people have been expired from swine flu. It is an alarming situation therefore patient education and family education is very important which included hand washing techniques etc.
Media can play a very effective role in increasing awareness about health issues of public health significance. In order to achieve this goal proper understanding of issues by media personal is very important.
Dr. Farhan Essa Abdullah, Professor of Medicine at DUHS, spoke about the facts and origins of swine flu and informed that the statistics shared by the presenters were taken from the US Centre for Disease Control. He said that it was high time that Pakistan should have a department which could record data of diseases and infections so that people and doctors are given a clear idea about a pandemic when it hits the nation. People in Pakistan die of common cold and diseases which hamper the progress to reach important health goals.
He also highlighted how the disease came to fore. “When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses swap the genes and a combination of all these viruses combined together emerges as swine flu.”
Dr. Shaheen, Associate Professor of Pathology at DUHS, said that doctors and reporters are at risk of getting infections and at the same time needed to protect themselves by maintaining a distance of one meter from people infected with flu. She admitted that it might not be possible but care and caution was advised.
Other spoke on the occasion includes, Tufail Ahmed, President (AHJP), Akhtar Shaheen Rind, General Secretary, (AHJP), Arif Hashmi Vice President (AHJP). Later, the health minister along with Vice Chancellor DUHS Dr Masood Hameed Khan also presented certificates to the health reporters appreciating their efforts in their respective fields.