Mehbooba accuses TV channels of false propaganda on Kashmir

Srinagar, May 10 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday blamed TV channels for spreading "false propaganda" about the state, projecting the Valley as a dangerous area which she said was preventing people from travelling to the state.

Inaugurating a two-day national medical conferences here, Mehbooba Mufti said: "I would like to put on record my appreciation of distinguished doctors who have come from outside the state, despite the propaganda we see on electronic media every night 24x7. I am many a times told by the tourists that 'We are amazed and amused when we are sitting in shikharas or hotels and watch the evening news'. They have to pinch themselves to know that they are in the same place that is called Kashmir which television is talking about. They make it seems so dangerous."

The Chief Minister inaugurated the Second J&K Medical Sciences Congress and the first annual conference of Metabolic Syndrome, Pre-diabetes, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (MPPCOS) Society here, which was slated to be attended by over 2,000 medical experts and researchers. However, only 1,200 delegates are attending due to the ongoing tensions in the state.

A senior doctor associated with the organizing committee said that of the total delegates registered, 250 are national faculty while only 15 international faculty are attending the event against the total registration of 100.

Speaking on the health issues concerning Kashmir Valley, Mehbooba Mufti called for collective and collaborative efforts by researchers and medical practitioners to address the spread of non communicable diseases (NCD) in society.

"Due to changes in lifestyle over the years, non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac ailments, cancers etc have shown an increasing trend and it needs the collective efforts by medical scientists, practicing doctors and medicos to look at the causes, remedies and possible preventive measures," said Mehbooba Mufti at the event held at Sher-I-Kasmir International Conference Centre, on the banks of the Dal lake.

Mehbooba Mufti said that massive health programmes and awareness about the spread and causes of these diseases are what can deliver the desired results. She emphasized on adopting preventive and promotive healthcare measures to minimize the growing spread of lifestyle diseases rather than waiting for the curatives means.

Urging medical fraternity, particularly the doctors and paramedics, to intensify their health care initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, she said that many surveys and data have vouched for better state of health here, and cited her state surpassing Kerala and Delhi in life expectancy as a pointer. She hoped that doctor would continue their hard work and maintain this standard.

Present on the occasion were Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research Soumaya Swaminathan; Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Randeep Guleria, and Director, Sher-i- Kashmir Institute of Medial Sciences(SKIMS) Prof Ahangar, and Ashraf Ganie, Professor of Endocrinology at SKIMS, who is also Convener of the Conference.

The Chief Minister also launched the official website of MPPCOS Society during the occasion. The theme of the conference is 'Non-Communicable Diseases in Developing Countries'.

"Medical issues to be discussed during the deliberations include diabetes mellitus, obesity, PCOS, strike, CVD, hypertension, lifestyle related cancers, trauma and road accidents, thyroid, bone disorders, toxicants, drug addiction, smoking, psychiatric morbidities, medico-legal issues and technology and medicine," said Ashraf Ganie, Convener of the conclave.

The three-day event would include thematic medical sciences exhibition, panel discussions, paper presentations, workshops and plenary lectures. Medical achievers and young scientists would be awarded at the conclave.