At least 17.11 percent of total deaths in Bangladesh are caused by cardiac disease, even though a significant portion of them are possible to prevent through changing lifestyle, said expert cardiologists at a conference on Friday. They stressed inclusion of topics like food habits, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the academic curriculum, because they are life-saving.
Bangladesh Heart Research Association organised the conference styled " Diseases of Heart and Its Remedy" marking the World Heart Day-2019 at the conference hall of Opsonin Ltd at Eskaton in the city. Chairman of the Association of Private Universities, Bangladesh also President of BIA, Sheikh Kabir Hossain attended the conference as chief guest with President of Bangladesh Heart Research Association, Prof. Dr. S R Khan in the chair.
While addressing, Sheikh Kabir Hossain observed that the lack of research work has caused a losing reputation of the country's main public universities, including Dhaka University. He urged the government to allocate more funds for research in the vital academic institutes so that skilled, experienced and able manpower base is created.
Former Vice Chancellor of BSMMU and currently the President of 'Peshajibi Parisad', Prof. Dr. Kamrul Hasan Khan, Vice Chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University, Prof. Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahammed and former Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Dhaka University, Prof. ABM Faruque attended the conference as special guests.
Addressing the event, Prof. Kamrul Hasan Khan observed that adulterated food, unhealthy lifestyle and food habits mainly cause heart disease. Dr. Hasan blamed lack of coordination among the bodies concerned and policy makers in addressing the burning issues related to preventing heart disease. "There is no such treatment in the world that is not available in Bangladesh. Role of Bangladeshi physicians for cardiac treatment and its modernization in the last 10 years is just praiseworthy and wonderful. Now no cardiac patient needs to go abroad for treatment," he added.
Former Chief Cardiac Surgeon of BSMMU and General Secretary of Bangladesh Heart Research Association, Prof. Dr. Ashit Baran Adhikary, Adviser & HOD, Department of Paediatric Cardiology, CMH, Dhaka, Brig. Gen. Prof. Dr. Nurun Nahar Fatema, Prof. Dr. Nasir Uddin, and Prof. Dr. Jahangir Kabir presented scientific papers at the conference.
In her presentation, Prof. Dr. Nurun Nahar Fatema said, the incidence of congenital heart disease is upto 25/1000 live births in our country which is very high compared to incidences recorded in other countries. "About 48 percent of congenital heart disease is contributed by ventricular septal defect (VSD), Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) and Patient Ductus Arterious (PDA). We have started device closure of PDA in our country back in 1999, then ASD device closure was started in 2001 and VSD device closure in 2004," she added.
Prof. Dr. S R Khan, while addressing as session chair, said prevention of disease is not only better than cure but also saves expenses, it is applicable for our country and also now-a-days awareness for prevention is practiced widely in the rich western countries also. Joint General Secretary of the Association, also Chairman of Mujibur Rahman Memorial Diabetic Hospital, Matiur Rahman Laltu moderated the conference.