FAISALABAD: Intellectuals must collaborate to make concerted efforts to control various diseases, ensure food security and better environment.
This was stated by National University of Medical Sciences Vice Chancellor, Lt. General (retd) Syed Muhammad Imran Majeed while addressing third National One Health Symposium organized by the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).
He said universities should play an important role in developing the economy of any country through their research and academia-industry linkages. Pakistani scientists will have to work hard in the field of research to solve local problems and having an eye on international research in order to uplift country’s economy and ensuring food security.
He said that nature had created all living beings for a purpose but human beings had distorted the balance for their own benefit which was causing diseases and climate change and hinder human development.
He said that agricultural, medical and environmental experts would have to come up with a plan of action to balance biodiversity. He stressed the need to promote tolerance in the society so that new avenues of development could be opened.
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that UAF , in collaboration with the University of California, had launched projects under ‘One Health’ a few years ago meant to cope with human, plant, animal and environmental health. He said that many diseases in humans were transmitted by animals. He said that more than 50 percent of the population in the country was suffering from malnutrition and it was essential to create awareness among the people to deal with it. He emphasized the need for joint efforts with medical experts, saying that this would lead to improvement in the medical field as well as prosperity in agriculture.
Faisalabad Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zafar Ali Chaudhry said that joint efforts would be made with the experts of the UAF on One Health. He said that more than 22 percent of cancer deaths were due to smoking. Diseases can be reduced by educating the people about healthy lifestyle and balanced diet. He said that UAF had rendered tremendous services in the field of dengue and nutrition.
Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Anas Sarwar Qureshi said that UAF being the first agricultural university in the sub-continent has rendered immense services for agricultural production and livestock. He said that One Health Symposium was providing opportunities for medical, agricultural and environmental scientists to work together for the solution of national issues.
Prof. Dr. Wasim Akram said that Punjab was badly affected by Vector Borne Disease in 2011 which affected 22, 000 people in just 72 hours. He said that UAF had played an important role in controlling dengue in Punjab.
Later, Vice Chancellor NUMS Syed Muhammad Imran Majeed along with UAF Vice Chancellor UAF Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Faisalabad Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zafar Ali Chaudhry and Principal Officer Estate Management Dr. Qamar Bilal also planted a sapling.