‘Early Detection of Congenital Heart Diseases’ Training Programme
Aligarh: Staff nurses from various Aligarh District-based hospitals were provided with hands-on-training on how to plan and execute preventive health care before an illness or disease starts to show. They were trained in the programme on ‘Early Detection of Congenital Heart Diseases’ conducted under the supervision of Prof Kamran Afzal, Chairman, Department of Paediatrics, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
The programme was organised by the Pediatric Cardiac Evaluation and Cardiac Surgery (PCE-CS) Unit, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), National Health Mission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Prof Kamran, also the Convener of PCE-CS Unit said that the main focus of the training was to teach the basics of pulse oximetry and recognition of critical Congenital Heart Diseases.
Speaking on the importance of timely diagnosis of congenital heart diseases, Prof Kamran stressed that an early detection can be the difference between life and death.
By being cognizant of the early signs of congenital heart diseases, patients can have a better chance of dealing with threats early on, he added.
Prof Kamran informed that one of the best ways to begin understanding the risk of getting heart diseases is to research in the family history.
“Have your siblings shown signs of heart diseases? Do your parents and grandparents have a history of heart attack or stroke? The answers to questions like these will help your doctor understand your genes and develop a fine-tuned plan for prevention tailored to your needs”, he elaborated.
Dr Shaad Abqari (Nodal Officer, PCE-CS Unit) interacted with the participating nurses and answered their queries. He trained participants in the basics of pulse oximetry and in identification of symptoms related to heart diseases.
Dr Shaad also extended the vote of thanks.
Dr Mirza M Kamran (PCE-CS Unit) discussed common symptoms of congenital heart diseases in older children.
Mohd Ahmad (Training Coordinator, DEIC-COE) and Atiya Zuberi (Nursing in-charge, PCE-CS Unit) spoke in the introductory session. Amir Khan of the PCE-CS Unit presented a demonstration on pulse oximetry.