Measures For Fighting Against Heart Disease

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 11

Measures For Fighting Against Heart Disease

The second Asian-Pacific congress of cardiology held in Melbourne last month had been attended by representatives from 22 countries and had been a great success, said Dr. R. B. Khambatta, of Pakistan, an office bearer . at the congress and at' present , visiting New Zealand under the " Colombo Plan. t With Dr. Khambatta was Dr. i A. M. Sarnia, from the Philippines, who was the president of , the first congress held in Manila 1 in 1956. One major result of the recent i congress had been the formation • of a special research committee t to undertake study of the various causes of heart disease. This was : to be taken up on a world basis, . said Dr. Khambatta- The com- . mittee would work in with the . findings of research teams in j European countries. There had been no over-all ' plan formulated since the causes ’ of heart diseases were many and varied, he said. However, there ’ would be research into the effect iof over-nutrition and undernutrition on heart conditions. ' Both of these factors could eas--1 ily be studied in the Asian- ■ Pacific area. I The academic and research • standards of the medical school at Otago University which they

had just visited had been most impressive and he could see why the university had such a high standing in world medical circles, said Dr. Sarnia. They would be visiting medical centres and hospitals during their short stay in New Zealand but only to observe general features, The visit was really a post congress tour to give them a chance to see the medical standards of one of the members of the Colombo .Plan. Both doctors agreed the Colombo Rian had been a- great success and expressed the view that the scheme should be extended to allow regular interchange of visits among the coutries in the plan. “It is a good thing to see the future leaders of our races studying in other countries and appreciating each other’s virtues and faults.” said Dr. Sarnia. What had particularly impressed the visitors had been the warmth of the welcome they had received in Australia and New Zealand. “In Dunedin the warm welcome did much to reduce the effects of the cold weather," said Dr. Khambatta.