Experts from home and abroad at an international conference held here on Wednesday at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) underlined the need of promoting healthy life-style, laying greater focus on better food-choice, weight management and daily exercise.
Islamabad, (Pakistan Point News - 21st Mar, 2018) : Experts from home and abroad at an international conference held here on Wednesday at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) underlined the need of promoting healthy life-style, laying greater focus on better food-choice, weight management and daily exercise. The conference was arranged by the University's department of Home and Health Sciences to deliberate upon society-related issues, with special reference to United National Sustainable development goals.
Its main motto was 'Go green, get healthy'. The foreign participants were from China, UK and UAE. Its inaugural session was presided over by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui, while the Director General World Health Organization Dr. Sania Nishtar was the chief guest. The key-note speeches on the occasion were delivered by environmental expert Dr. Fouzia Qureshi and nutrition expert Dr. Rezzan Khan of Shifa International Hospital.
While chairman department of Home and Health Sciences Dr. Nomana Anjum spoke about the aims and objectives of the two-day conference. About 70 research papers were to be presented during its four working sessions. The speakers spoke high about importance of conducive environment and better urban planning for promoting a healthy society. They called for proper management and planning in urban development. The Vice Chancellor briefed the participants about the AIOU's research-based activities, stating seventeen research journals were published and thirty-one national and international conferences were arranged during the last three and half years to construct and disseminate knowledge, relevant to the society.
Dr. Siddiqui was the view that the education is meaningless, if it does not help to serve the society and improve the living conditions of the people. The educationists through their academic pursuits are supposed to serve the society, by addressing its social-economic issues, he added. While taking new initiatives, the University has been trying to serve marginalized and stigmatized sections of the society. The scope of free education was enhanced for prisoners, disabled persons, drop-out girls and transgender group.
Besides this, 'Accessibility Centers' for visually impaired personal were set up at the University's 44 regional offices. The VC hoped that the event will provide an opportunity to the participants to discuss multidisciplinary academic issues relating to environment, nutrition and health. Dr. Sania Nishtar highlighted the problems, like mal-nutrition and under-nutrition, being faced by the society. Air pollution also leaves a very negative impact on the human-health, she added.
She also called for making maximum investment on development of strong human-capital base. She appreciated the AIOU for focusing on the societal issues in its research work. Other institutions should also follow the same, she asserted. It was hoped that the conference's deliberations will evolve strategies for engaging the public and securing policy-makers support for the creation of socially inclusive healthy communities.
