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'20- year smoker

needs 35 years

to get rid of nicotine'

KARACHI: Sindh Health Minister Dr S M Rab, has said that a person smoking for 20 years would need another 35 years to lose the effects of nicotine from his body and lungs.

He was speaking as chief guest at a seminar on Awareness Among Children, Protection and Treatment organised by Baqai Institute at Fahmi Health Education Centre here on Tuesday.

He asked the children should take full advantage of education being imparted to them and also enhance their knowledge about various diseases, particularly TB Ñ protection against it as well as its treatment.

He pointed out that TB is no more a non-curable disease and, with regular, treatment, one could get rid of it. The minister said that a 'Direct Observance Treatment Programme' has been started in collaboration with WHO during TB treatment.

Prof Rab said that TB takes place not only because of pollution or smoking, but economic imbalances are also among the causes and this needs to be removed. He said living of many people in a single room also leads to development of TB.

He said if an effective awareness is developed among children, it could yield far-reaching results.

He said if a child dies of TB, if must be ascertained how deep the roots of this disease in his family were so that others could also be protected.

Earlier Dr Fariduddin Baqai, Chancellor, Baqai University, also spoke on the occasion and underlined the need for creation of greater awareness among children about various diseases.ÑAPP