Billions of rupees are being wasted on smoking:Minister for Finance

Lahore: Minister for Finance, Excise & Taxation, Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman has said that 60 percent diseases are water born and government is spending Rs.12 billion on the installation of water filtration plants in rural areas so that to avoid such diseases.

The Minister, however, stressed upon the doctors community for launching massive awareness campaign for sensitizing the people about hazardous aspects of childhood asthma / allergy as the 40 to 45 percent population of the country is victim of allergy, whereas, 60% children of the world are facing childhood asthma complications that becomes dangerous in future.

He also asked that social workers and medical community to create awareness among the people regarding smoking with a view to prevent TB, heart, lungs, bronchitis and various types of lungs cancer. He said that it is high time for promoting social mobilization against smoking, TB and cancer. He said that billions of rupees are being wasted on smoking annually which is major cause of spread of deadly diseases like TB, lungs cancer and even cardiovascular diseases as well as other chest diseases even Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) which 4th main cause of deaths in the world and 600 million people are victims of this disease in the world, whereas, according to WHO 3 million people die each year in the world due to these complications.