Mothers urged to breastfeed infants to develop immunity – 14 Nov 2022
LAHORE: Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Principal Prof Dr Al-Fareed Zafar has said that there is no food and tonic better than mother’s milk for the health and physical development of newborns.
“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,” he said while addressing the participants in a seminar on Pneumonia diseases at Lahore General Hospital. Prof Muhammad Shahid, Prof Faheem Afzal, Prof Ashraf Sultan, Prof Muhammad Tariq Bhatti and Prof Tahir Siddique gave detailed information about the symptoms and treatment of pneumonia, while Dr Muhammad Iqbal, Dr Masood Sheikh, medical students, Nusrat Tahira, Samira Bano, Sarwat Latif and others were present on this occasion.
Medical experts said that according to the WHO, every year 26 lac children in the world lose their lives due to pneumonia.
Prof Al-Fareed Zafar 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 among the symptoms of pneumonia. 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.
He added that especially in winter season, the healthcare of newborn children is the 100pc 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.
Prof Faheem Afzal and Prof Muhammad Shahid said that the majority of children are deprived of other basic necessities in Pakistan due to lack of awareness about diseases, economic conditions and other reasons, as well as lack of resources they are deprived of basic necessities including healthy diets during the winter season. 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.