Speakers call for coordinated efforts to protect lung health

Air is essential for life, but prolonged exposure to polluted air can cause serious lung damage and lead to various respiratory diseases, speakers said at a roundtable discussion in Dhaka on Sunday.

The discussion was held at a local hotel to mark World Lung Day, observed this year with the theme “A Lifetime of Lung Health”. The event was organised by the Department of Respiratory Medicine of Evercare Hospital Dhaka.

The speakers stressed the need to protect lung health at every stage of life, from childhood to old age. They said preventing respiratory diseases and reducing exposure to harmful factors were essential to ensuring healthy lungs and a better quality of life.

The roundtable was organised with the support of The Chest and Heart Association of Bangladesh and Aristopharma PLC.

Dr SM Abdullah Al Mamun, senior consultant and coordinator of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Evercare Hospital Dhaka, presented the keynote paper and moderated the discussion.

The panel included Dr Md Zahirul Islam Shakil, president of the Bangladesh Chest and Heart Association and secretary general of DAB; Dr Golam Sarwar Liaquat Hossain Bhuiyan, director of the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital and secretary general of CHAB; Prof Dr Foara Tasnim, additional director general (Planning and Development) of the Directorate General of Health Services; Prof Dr Raushni Jahan, senior consultant, Respiratory Medicine, Evercare Hospital Dhaka; Dr Ziaul Haque; Professor Dr Syed Rezaul Haque, former head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Dhaka Medical College Hospital; Prof Dr Adnan Yusuf Chowdhury, head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Dhaka Medical College Hospital; Prof Dr Shamim Ahmed, chairman of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Bangladesh Medical University; Dr Mohammad Sana Ullah Sarker, consultant, Respiratory Medicine, Unique Hospitals PLC; Dr Muhammad Shakhawat Hossain, assistant professor at the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital; Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, executive director, Marketing and Sales, Aristopharma Limited; Ataur Rahman Kabul, senior health correspondent; and Jannatul Bakea Keka, special correspondent of Channel i.

Dr Tania Rahman Mitul moderated the event.

The speakers said smoking and tobacco use must be avoided to maintain healthy lungs. They stressed the need for concerted efforts to control environmental pollution, particularly air pollution.

They also called for an end to the use of e-cigarettes, vaping products and other nicotine products, saying these could have harmful effects on lung health. They emphasised the need for appropriate measures to prevent the use and spread of such products.

The experts further stressed the importance of early detection and timely treatment of lung diseases.

They also highlighted the crucial role of the mass media in raising public awareness, saying accurate and reliable health information can help people take appropriate measures to protect their lung health.