National Health Summit 2024-Dental Hygiene

RAWALPINDI, FEB 20 (DNA) – The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) organized the National Health Summit 2024-Dental Hygiene at Chamber House here on Tuesday. President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi was the chief guest on the occasion.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Summit, Dr. Arif Alvi said that the entire nation had set a precedent in the world with their collective efforts during Covid-19 pandemic and stressed that such a display of unity was critical to address disconcerting issues in education, health and economic sectors.

The president said that during Covid-19 pandemic when the deadly wave was hitting the globe, Pakistan emerged as the third best performing country in the world to avert the damages in health and economic sectors.

He said it was all possible due to the collective efforts and cooperation of the people and all stakeholders who displayed unison in their efforts to ward off the spread of the pandemic.

“That precedent has carved a path for the future which can guide us in our endeavours to overcome the contemporary challenges,” he opined.

Highlighting the importance of physical hygiene, the president said that from the Islamic teachings, it stood proved that personal hygiene was linked with spiritual purity.

He said about 90 percent dental cases could be cured if prevention habits were developed by the people including regular brushing of teeth, similar was the case with communicable diseases.

The president urged all the stakeholders and the business community to play their parts in creating awareness among the masses over health-related issues including mental stress and population growth.

RCCI President Saqib Rafiq in his keynote address said President Dr Arif Alvi was the first head of state who visited the chamber’s building and encouraged the business community for their involvement in different initiatives taken for the health of the general public.

He said almost 90 per cent of people could not afford the expensive treatment of dentistry, adding the dental related diseases could be avoided with just due care and prevention.

He said the chamber was making all possible measures to extend better health facilities in every nook and cranny of the Rawalpindi division, under which it had arranged mobile dental units for diagnosing chronic disease caused by bad oral hygiene.

Besides, it was carrying out water testing and data collection in 74 union councils of the Rawalpindi division, he added.

RCCI Group leader Sohail Altaf said, “a strong economy guarantees the strong national defence that comes from political stability and consistency in policies.” There is need to end current uncertainty in the country and asked Dr. Arif Alvi to play its role.

Earlier, Chairman RCCI Standing Committee on Health Dr Shimail Daud Arain stressed the need for creating awareness among the masses about oral health as around 90 percent of Pakistanis were suffering from dental-related diseases.