By Dr. Muhammad Najeeb Durrani
Epidemiologist, Assistant District Health Officer
District TB Coordinator (DTC),
Member Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN)
A Meeting was held in the office of the Chief Commissioner ICT Islamabad, on 7th April 2015 to plan the holding of the forth coming annual Allergy Relief Camp in Islamabad. The camp is organized by the Islamabad Administration through its Health Department in collaboration with various stake holders from Medical Doctors, Tibb, Homeo Experts, Pharmaceutical Companies and known Drug sale Outlets of Islamabad. ICT Administration has been holding pollen allergy camps in Islamabad during allergy season since 2004 and provided treatment facilities to as many as 64,837 allergy patients. Patients have the option to get them treated through any one of 03 method of treatments ie allopathic, homeopathic and Tib-e-Unani.
The Meeting was conducted by Dr M Azhar Khan District Health Officer and Dr Muhammad Najeeb Durrani the Assistant DHO. It was attended by Health experts like Dr Athar Niaz Rana Consultant Allergy and Asthma from Shifa Int Hospital, Dr Mubashar A Bhatti Nutrition Expert and Immunologist, Dr Hakeem Rizwan Hafeez Malik and Homeo Chief College of homeopathic Colleges Dr Naser Ch.
Dr Muhammad Najeeb Durrani the in-charge of the pollen Allergy Camps in Islamabad informed the participants that in the past few decades various forms of Allergens have become known and now at this point in time we know that behind every ailment that the patients present with, they have some form of the allergy either from food, cosmetics, mite, dust or pollen. He further informed the participants that spores of various plants that blossom in the spring season especially the paper mulberry tree create havoc for a segment of population every year in Islamabad who are highly sensitive are susceptible to get symptoms ranging from minor flu like ailments to a worst form of medical emergency called Status Asthmatics caused by sudden attack of broncho constriction i.e., narrowing of airways.
He said considerable efforts have been made in the past by CDA and other stake holders in Islamabad to get rid of the menace of the paper mulberry trees but so far no success has been witnessed, however new housing societies like and Towns like Bahria have made it mandatory to work on the issue from the very beginning and not allow any mulberree tree sapling to ever grow in their area. Dr Durrani said the Health department ICT holds this camp every year to provide some relief to the Allergy patients in Islamabad.
The Experts stressed for taking pre emptive measures including proper food, only required medicines only to be taken by expert advice. They asked the chair to create awareness amongst the general population of Islamabad before and during the camp timings to enable the community to know how to prevent themselves from attacks of Allergy during the high pollen season. They also agreed to hold seminars at three public places in Islamabad in the coming weeks to sensitize and educate the community about steps to be taken on short term and long term bases to reduce allergic manifestations during the season.
The Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, Zulfiqar Haider Khan directed the departments to provide maximum relief to the allergy patients in the ongoing allergy season. He appreciated the efforts of all the care providers in holding of such important activity and directed the department to hold this camp at three places instead of one place at Aabpara Community Center also to involve Rescue 15 ambulatory service for the seriously ill patients, besides that he also asked the experts to hold seminars at three places for creating awareness amongst general public. He also advised to update the technical inputs from the experts in the pamphlets and brochures, increase their number and also distribute amongst school children in the Schools under Federal Directorate of Education. We issued directions to place this important information on ICT’s web site and develop a hot line for general public. Chief Commissioner, Islamabad, also praised the services of renowned allergy specialists for camp and pharmacists for donating medicines for the camp.
He assured the participants that the stake holders including experts would also participate in TV Talk shows. The camp would start providing health care from 15th till 25th of April 2015.The chief Commissioner ICT thanked all the participants for their continued support.
