Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Renowned hypnotherapist Dr Ayesha Ali said on Sunday that that around 80 million Pakistanis were suffering from physiological, neurotic disorders.

“Pakistan’s total population comprises 59.7 percent young people. They are not getting equal opportunities of education, health and employment. They lack a lifestyle according to the international standards, which causes distress and anxiety,” said Dr Ayesha while addressing a press conference at the National Press Club (NPC).

Dr Ayesha said that the first Mental Health Institute and Treatment Centre (MHITC) of Pakistan would be inaugurated on May 22. “The centre is located in scenic Nathiagali, Abbottabad district. It will provide psychological and mental health facilities to the people. Land has been acquired for the project to initiate this great cause for serving humanity and proving treatment to the people,” she said.

Dr Ayesha said that the institute would work on two different components: providing training to the new comers for their capacity-building as well as provide treatment to patients.

She said that the state of art institution would be equipped with all modern facilities, including a trained staff, to proving treatment to the people suffering from psychological ad mental disorders.

“We would provide the free Life Transformation Transcendental Channelling Process (LTTCP) Therapy treatment to our patient according to the eligibility in MHITC Abbottabad,” she said.

“We would also cater to the needs of children for providing them modern education faculties. We will also start the project from Lahore,” she said.

“In this motivational package, we will choose 10 children to change their life through education and give them excess to all facilities to achieve their life objectives,” she said.

Fasting: Shifa International Hospital (SIH) on Sunday organised a seminar to raise awareness about fasting for diabetic patients. A large number of patients, doctors and people from all walks of life attended the seminar. The SIH, as its social responsibility, organises the event every year before Ramazan to educate people about their health problems and its solution regarding fasting.

Addressing the seminar, Dr Sheraz Khan said: “In general, fasting is very challenging for people living with diabetes, particularly patients with Type 1 diabetes, who are dependent on insulin.”

“Muslims with diabetes who wish to fast must plan diligently for a safe and healthy Ramazan. It is important to individualize each patient’s management plan depending on his or her diet and lifestyle, medications, risk of hypoglycemia, and glycemic control, and to minimise the complications associated with fasting. In general, the risk of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes is not overly common, and it is associated less severe consequences,” he said.

Dr Sheraz said that the approximate number of Muslims with diabetes was around 4.6 % of the total population. “It is estimated that there are about 50 million Muslims with diabetes around the world who observe fasts during the month of Ramazan each year,” he said.

Shifa International Hospital (SIH) Consultant Endocrinologist Dr Tayyab Badshah said that patients might be reluctant to self-monitor during Ramazan. “Clinical experience suggests some patients may cease treatment altogether in order to observe the fast or because they feel changing time of treatment may render it ineffective. Unwillingness to self-treat hypoglycaemia symptoms by breaking the fast may lead to more severe hypoglycaemia. This represents a key challenge for patients with diabetes during Ramazan,” he said.

He added that testing your blood glucose levels was important and it did not break the fast. “If you have a blood testing meter, test your glucose levels regularly. Talk to your doctor or diabetes team before fasting,” he said.