KARACHI: Some 80 percent of the population is suffering from helicobacter pylorus which is the main reason for stomach diseases in Pakistan.
This was mentioned by Dr Qaisar Sajjad, Hon Secretary General Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) while talking to newsmen here at PMA House on Thursday.
He was flanked by Dr Syed Muhammad Zahid Azam, Professor of Medicine & Gastroenterology, Dr Qazi M Wasiq, Hon Treasurer PMA Centre, Dr Sonia Naqvi, Hon President PMA Karachi and Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, Hon General Secretary PMA Karachi.
Dr Sajjad said symptoms of H pylori include ache or burning pain in your abdomen which could worsen when your stomach is empty, Nausea, loss of appetite, frequent burping, bloating and unintentional weight loss.
He said People can swallow H pylori bacteria from contaminated food, water, or eating utensils. Infections are most common in crowded areas and those without clean water or good sewage systems. Infected people can pass the bacteria through their saliva (spit) and other body fluids.
He added that pylori have been considered associated with acute and chronic gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, lymphoma and even cancer. Like all developing countries, Pakistan also has high H pylori prevalence reported in the range of 50–90 percent. Clinical studies have proved that H Pylori bacteria increase the risk of stomach cancer.
To diagnose the bacteria, he informed, doctors usually have blood test or stool test in Pakistan which are bothersome for patients. The result of these tests is delayed from two to four days and patients remain in trouble during this period.
He said PMA has always provided awareness on health issues and on different diseases. We always stress upon prevention of diseases because we believe that prevention is better than cure. We are always in frontline to provide awareness and prevention of different diseases as we have been providing awareness for more than two years on coronavirus. Regarding coronavirus, we warned the government one month before the eruption of Covid-19 in Pakistan.
If there is a problem in any part of a body it will affect the whole body. Same is the case of the Digestive System; sufferings like abdomen spasm, acidity, nausea, flatulence are very common. If these symptoms persist for a long time, the patient should visit a doctor because it could lead to a serious illness if ignored.
He observed that stomach diseases in Pakistan are getting serious rapidly, adding that for the last many decades it is being considered that depression, spicy food, and smoking in any form causes stomach ulcer but in 1982 after discovering the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, it was revealed that this bacteria is often the cause of stomach ulcer. 80 percent of the population of Pakistan is suffering from Helicobacter pylori which are the main reason of stomach diseases in Pakistan.
He said PMA in collaboration with Otsuka Pakistan is creating awareness regarding this serious issue. Otsuka Pakistan has introduced a Urea Breath Test for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori. It is a Japanese technology approved by the US FDA.
The test is done with the human breathing sample within just twenty minutes without going into any complex procedure.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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