ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafgat Mahmood on Thursday urged doctors and other stakeholders to create public awareness about food-related allergies.

Speaking at a seminar, `Prevention of Celiac diseases and our social responsibilities` organised by National Council of Social Welfare (NCSW) and Directorate General of Special Education, the minister said public awareness programmes were necessary to minimise the effects of such diseases.

According to published material, Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damages in the small intestine.

NCSW Chairman Dr Nadeem Shafiq Malik said there was a lack of public awareness about food-related allergies in Pakistan.

`In developed countries, special food items are prepared for food allergic people,` he said, adding there was also a dire need of special food for allergic people in Pakistan.

He said through public awareness campaigns, common men should be made aware of food allergic diseases and how it can be treated.

`In this connection, health departments have primary role to facilitate public in med-icaltests ofthese like allergies toidentify at early stage,` he said.

Parliamentary Secretary Education Wajiha Akram said awareness programmes bring positive changes in the attitudes of people.

She said the government was providing health facilities to the poor people through `Insaf Sehat Cards`Dr Shahid Pervaiz Ansari, Dr Mazhar Abbas Rizvi, Dr Saim Ali Soomro, Dr Laila Khan and social worker Sidra Akhtar Chaudhry said food allergy was not being treated well due to the lack of awareness.

They also called for awareness programmes to sensitise the citizens about these diseases. They also called for more research about the food allergies in Pakistan.