Peace for Nation - HEALTH AWARENESS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM

HEALTH AWARENESS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM

HEALTH PROMOTION MEETING AT FAIZ ABAD, FAISALABAD:

On 8th February 2015, a health promotion meeting was organized by peace for nation international (PNI) at Faizabad, Faisalabad. The awareness meeting was joined by 50 male and female participants while Dr.Rifat Barkat D.M.S. (D.H.Q.) Hospital and Dr. Gulzar Masih shared causes and symptoms of the diseases and advised some precautionary measures to live a healthy life. Advocate Hashmat Barkat (Chairman PNI) and Zafar Iqbal (Program Manager PNI) shared aim and objectives of the organization and requested the community to consult with only qualified doctors at basic health units and Hospitals for better health care.

Dr. Rifat Barkat: Shared the causes and symptoms of the diseases include Hepatitis, HIV Aids, Dengue, and Malaria. He also discussed regarding the problems of Maternal and new born health and advised to visit Basic health units or Hospitals to consult with qualified and trained staff. He guided the participant regarding treatment of common diseases. He further said that we should be careful during blood transfusion and make it sure that all tests of blood are negative. When you need an injection make it sure that the syringe is being used should be new. The blade of shaving used by any patient of HIV Aids can transfer the disease to another person if the same blade is use. So we should avoid getting shave from Saloons, otherwise use new blade when needed.
Dr. Gulzar Masih: while he was sharing the precautionary measures to maintain good health, he advised the participants to use fresh and clean boiled water, keep clean the homes and street. He also advised eat homemade food and avoid having food from stalls in the market.

Advocate Hashmat Barkat (founder & chairman – PNI) and Mr. ZafarIqbal (Program manager – PNI) shared aim and objectives of the organization. They said that promotion of health and education is included in our prime objectives to make this society free from diseases. We want to make this society educated and peaceful. We are striving to aware people to uplift them socially and economically. Education is basic tool for overall development and good health is required to all of us do our duties for our development and empowerment.
Advocate Hashmat Barkat urge the government to avoid political confrontations and kindly give attention towards the people of Pakistan to provide them the basic health and education facilities. He also requested the government to improve the standard of basic health units at rural and urban areas of Faisalabad to provide dengue treatment facilities at their nearest and accessible places.

HEALTH PROMOTION MEETING AT LATIF CHOUK, FAISALABAD.

On 17th February 2015, a health promotion meeting was organized by Peace for nation international (PNI) at Kachi Abadi, Latif Chuok, Gulam Mohammad abad, Faisalabad. The awareness meeting was joined by 50 male and female participants while Dr.Rifat Barkat D.M.S. (D.H.Q.) Hospital shared causes and symptoms of the diseases and advised some precautionary measures to live a healthy life. Advocate Hashmat Barkat (Chairman PNI) shared that the budget allocated for health and education is insufficient which need to increase to provide better health and education facilities.
Mr. Zafariqbal (Program manger PNI) shared the aim and objectives of the organization for the empowerment and development of the society by improving education and health facilities at rural and urban areas of District Faisalabad.

Dr. Rifat Barkat: shared in detail the root causes of the common diseases at rural and urban areas developed due unawareness, unavailability of fresh and clean water. He said that improper diet and contaminated water is the basic cause behind the bad health situation in our country. He said that the increase in the patients of dengue and malaria is a bad sign which is needed to address seriously both by government and society. Government is responsible to provide awareness and better health facilities for timely treatment of dengue and malaria but it is also the duty of the society to keep clean their home and streets, avoid and remove unnecessary storage of water at open places. Change water from room coolers as soon as possible and put a lid upon the water storage pans and tanks.
Dr. Rifat barkat also shared symptoms of the diseases and advised some precautionary measures for better health care. While he was sharing about the health care of Maternal and new born, he advised regular routine checkup by qualified doctors available at basic health units and hospitals. He strictly prohibited consulting with traditional birth attendants. He said that TBAs are not aware about complications related to Gynae. He showed dismal concern on death rates at the time of births in Pakistan especially at rural and urban areas.
Advocate Hashmat barkat: He said that we are striving for the uplift of vulnerable and marginalized segments of the society includes women, children and labor. We are providing education and awareness regarding health care and basic education. We want to improve the living standard of the people living at rural and urban areas. He said that at present we are working at four towns of district Faisalabad and we intend to extend our activities to reach the whole district including 6 sub districts of Faisalabad. He urged the Pakistan government to increase the allocated budget for the health and education to provide better health and education facilities to the people of rural and urban areas.
He also advised the participants to keep clean their home and streets to reduce and stop the production of mosquitoes to keep safe from dengue and malaria fever. He thanked the participants and Dr. Rifat Barkat to attend the meeting to provide valuable information and guidance.

HEALTH PROMOTION MEETING AT SAYYEDABAD, FAISALABAD.

On 19th February 2015, Peace for nation international (PNI) organized a health awareness and education meeting at village # 123 J.B. Sayyedabad, Lyallpur Town, Faisalabad to address the health related issues at rural and urban areas at Faisalabad. The meeting was joined by 60 participants belong to different walks of life while Mr. ZafarIqbal shared the importance of good health while he was sharing regarding aim and objectives of the organization to aware and educate the community. Dr. Rifat Barkat D.M.S. at (D.H.Q. Hospital Faisalabad) shared the detailed information regarding prevention from many diseases, symptoms and causes and precautionary measures regarding common diseases at rural and urban areas. Advocate Hashmat Barkat (Founder & Chairman- PNI) said that the life at villages is healthier then cities, we should plant more threes to live healthy life. We should adopt the way of self help to independently solve our local matters related to health and sanitation.
Dr. Rifat Barkat: said that prevention is better than care. We should adopt extra health care measures to live a healthy life. There are some common diseases which need attention of the society to get awareness and education regarding prevention, precautionary measures and timely treatments. He said that like Polio vaccine program, government has started health care program to provide vaccine and injections to keep save the people from many diseases. We should get injection and vaccine when the mobile team will be visiting our areas.

While Dr. Rifat Barkat was sharing about T.B., he said that T.B is a remediable disease and we should keep away the T.B’s Patients from family during their treatment. The germs of the patient suffering from T.B. can affect badly the healthy persons of the family so we should need very care. Treatment should start at the early stage of the T.B. and other disease on regular basis. He also shared some informative advises for maternal and new born health and said that we should avoid the traditional birth attendants and should consult only with qualified doctors at Basic health units and hospitals. Balanced diet and regular medical checkups for maternal patients are Inevitable.
Advocate Hashmat Barkat: said that the life at villages is healthier than the cities but it is only by much trees, so we should plant more threes to produce fresh air. We should the avoid garbage storing near our homes even we should use the garbage to produce organic fertilizer. We should produce vegetable and other crops by using organic agriculture methods. Thus we can have health food for our good health. We should remove the water ponds or we should pour kerosene oil to stop the production of mosquitoes and other germs.

ZafarIqbal (Program Manger-PNI) showed deep concern on the increase of rate of the person with disabilities in the country and said that our people are not aware regarding importance of polio vaccine that is why more cases of Polio are coming to notice. We should get vaccine and injections during the announced facilities by government. He also said that physical and mental violence against women is also the reason behind the disability cases especially disability by birth. We should denounce all sorts or violence.

CELEBRATION OF WORLD T.B. DAY 2015.

In regard to World T.B. day 2015 a Tuberculoses awareness meeting was organized by Mercy Crops in collaboration with Provincial T.B. control program (PTP) on March 17, 2015 at office of E.D.O. community development Faisalabad. Representatives of civil society organizations include Advocate Hashmat barkat (Chairman- PNI), Mr. Syed Ali Shah (Chairman-ASRA Foundation), Pastor Irshad Parkash (Chairman- ASB), Mr. Yousaf Adnan (Chairman-CARE Foundation) Mr. ZafarIqbal (Program Manager-PNI), Madam Zahida Bhatti and Peer Adnan farooq (Chairma-Danish Foundation) joined the meeting.

The meeting was conducted under National T.B. control program to work with local NGOs for the better treatment of T.B. Patient by providing them awareness, treatment and best care. Dr. Mohammad Nawaz district T.B control officer Faisalabad and Dr. Abid Usman National program officer shared useful information regarding prevention, control, treatment and care of T.B. Patients. M. Irfan district field officer and Naveed field officer was also attended the meeting and shared introduction of the T.B. control program.

HEALTH PROMOTION MEETING AT AHMEDABAD, FAISALABAD.

On 20th March 2015, Peace for nation international (PNI) organized a health awareness and education meeting at village # 225 R.B. Ahmedabad, Medina Town, Faisalabad to raise the awareness regarding health related issues at rural and urban areas at Faisalabad. The meeting was joined by 50 participants belong to different spheres of life while Dr. Rifat Barkat Deputy medical superintendent at (D.H.Q. Hospital Faisalabad, Advocate Hashmat Barkat (Founder & Chairman- PNI), Ms. Sunita Ibrahim (Women coordinator-PNI) and Mr. ZafarIqbal (Program manger- PNI) were among the resource persons. Importance of health, causes and symptoms of the common diseases, precautionary measures and other information was shared and better health care services for rural areas were demanded from government.
Dr. Rifat Barkat: shared that common diseases are also need to be deal with responsibility and carelessness could cause to major loss. It is a common practice to use tablets without medical Prescription which cause to develop more diseases into our body. We should avoid being self doctors. On the contrary, we should consult with qualified doctors at Basic health units, clinics and hospitals. He further said that at Government hospitals you can get better health facilities free of any cost but it is our misconception that poor people are not facilitated. While he was talking about dengue, malaria, hepatitis and T.B. he told that we should adopt extra care during blood transfusion, taking injection and getting shave from saloons to keep ourselves safe from these diseases.

He told that tuberculosis is a remediable disease within a specific time span. In case of T.B. infection we should keep continue the treatment till 9 months without any pause for its complete eradication. It is seen that patients infected by T.B. use medicine hardly for two or three months which is a wrong practice and a great risk for one’s life. He emphasized upon balanced diet and fresh clean water to use to live healthy life.
Advocate Hashmat Barkat: shared that government is engage to build motorways to facilitate the business community avoiding the marginalized and vulnerable communities at rural and urban areas of the country. The under developed areas like yours are not provided the basic facilities of life include; fresh clean water, soling and drainage system. The narrow streets of areas like this are also uneven and incase of medical emergency ambulance cannot reach to the patients for timely medical aid which cause to sudden deaths. Government should provide basic health care services to the people living at rural areas. Keeping in view the worst situation of health care facilities we are as social workers providing awareness and education to sensitize the people regarding their health and raising voice for their basic rights. He announced that in near future a free medical camp will be conducted by PNI to provide free medicine and consultation for common diseases.
Mr. ZafarIqbal: showed his deep concern on the garbage and wastage which is being dumped at very near to the localities while this act it is not allowed by district government which need to be highlighted through print and electronic media and to be addressed on an urgent basis. It is also amazing and disgusting that sewer system at posh areas like D- ground and civil lines is covered by roof or underground otherwise but the same system at rural and urban areas is not covered or underground. Government should eliminate this double standard and it should provide every basic facility to the marginalized communities without any discrimination. He urged the government to establish more basic health units especially at rural areas and sewer system should also be upgrade.
Ms. Sunita Abrahim: she said that women and children also need better health care facilities but it is seen that thousands of women are dying during delivery procedures and thousands of children cannot reach up-to age 5. This alarming situation is caused by traditional methods of deliveries at homes under supervision of traditional birth attendants. Women should consult with qualified Gynae specialist at basic health units and hospitals. Prenatal checkups on regular basis are inevitable till 9 months. Special diet is basic need for maternal and new born. She said that it is our responsibility to provide better health care and best diet to women and newborns. Government should take practical and useful measures for the empowerment and development of women, she demanded.

FREE MEDICAL CAMP AT PAULABAD, GULSHAN TOWN, FAISALABAD.

On 15th April 2015 a free medical camp was organized by Peace for nation international (PNI) in collaboration with Identity, Merge & Action (AIM) at Paulabad, Gulshan town, Faisalabad. Free medication and consultation services were provided to 200 patients through this camp. Most of patients were come with common diseases; however some Gynae Patients were also treated carefully with special attention. General patients were facilitated by Dr. Rifat Barkat M.B.B.S. (D.M.S.) District headquarter Hospital, Faisalabad, While Gynae Patients were examined by Lady Dr. Sajda Perveen. Advocate Hashmat Barkat (Chairman-PNI), Madam Shaheen Anthony Gill (Director-AIM), Mr. Samuel Masih (Manager-AIM), Mr. ZafarIqbal (Program Manager-PNI), Mr. Yousaf Sultan (T.B. Coordinator-AIM), Ms. Sunita Ibrahim (Women Coordinator-PNI), Mr. Nabeal Ashraf (Youth Coordinator-PNI) and other Medical and Admin Staff were also present at this well conducted free medical camp.

Gulshan Ali Town and Paulabad are under developed areas and most of its population is belong to labor sector thus the said areas deserve for special attention by civil society organizations to address their basic needs and problems. It was come to know during our off and on visits as part of our health awareness and education program for rural communities that there are many people with miserable health conditions. So it was decided to conduct a free medical camp to provide free health care facilities to these vulnerable communities. The patients belong to adjacent areas also were include in beneficiaries of this facility.
AIM & PNI both organizations are striving for health promotion at rural areas as their prime objectives. Advocate Hashmat Barkat (Chairman-PNI), Madam Shaheen Anthony Gill (Director-AIM), Mr. Samuel Masih (Manager-AIM) and Mr. ZafarIqbal (Program Manager-PNI) observed the arrangements and available facilities at camp and showed satisfaction by terming this camp as successful activity.
It was observed that there is no system of sewerage and proper sanitation at this area, underground water is salty and contaminated, people are using vegetables produced by contaminated water mixed with industrial wastage. The garbage if city Faisalabad is being illegally dumped around the localities. The diet of these communities is also improper. The all said causes are the reason behind the miserable health conditions. Therefore it was advised by Doctors to use proper died and pure healthy water to keep away from common diseases.