JEDDAH, 23 June 2006 — The Pakistan Consulate General has plans to construct new premises for want of space at its existing location. “We’ll be going in for a bigger set up for the consulate with better welfare facilities,” Pakistan Consul General Masood Akhtar said on Wednesday night.
“We’ve (acquired) a huge plot of land near Dallah Tower (in East Jeddah) and hopefully we’ll start construction soon,” he said addressing a meeting of Pakistani Doctors Group at Le Jeddah Meridien Hotel.
The consulate will also start offering free medical facilities at its existing premises. The first such free medical camp is being held at the consulate today. “Four doctors including two lady physicians will run the camp,” Akhtar said. “This is just the beginning and we’ve the will and sincerity to make it a success,” he said and called for the cooperation of doctors.
In his presentation, Dr. Mohammed R. Arafah, consultant cardiologist and internal head of cardiology department at the King Fahd Cardiac Center of King Saud University, Riyadh, explained how a high intensity therapy might trigger a regression of atherosclerosis (the hardening of arteries).
“A new finding from the Asteroid study has demonstrated that the patients of heart disease — No. 1 killer in the Kingdom with almost 30 percent population with high levels of bad cholesterol — using a highly efficacious cholesterol drug not only brought their ‘bad cholesterol’ down to the lowest level, but also saw blockages in their blood vessels shrink,” he said.
Atherosclerosis is caused by a buildup of a plaque in the vessels that carry blood to the heart. When one of these plaques tears or ruptures, a blood clot develops that may block the vessel completely and lead to a heart attack.
During the question-answer session moderated by Dr. Asif Malik, consultant cardiologist at King Fahd Hospital, doctors discussed the role of diet and exercise in the prevention of atherosclerosis.
Group Western Region President Dr. Javed Khan of King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital and its General Secretary Dr. M. Akhtar Qureshi of King Abdul Aziz University Hospital welcomed the guests.