LAHORE: Excessive consumption of junk food is the prime reason for spread of liver and stomach diseases, especially in the urban areas of the country.

`The number of such patients is increasing at an alarming rate but there is an acute shortage of doctors who can treat them by using modern techniques,` said Post-Graduate Medical Institute and Ameeruddin Medical College Principal Prof Ghiasun Nabi Tayyab in his presidential speech at the inaugural session of first `International Endoscopy Ultrasound and ERCP Workshop` at a local hotel on Thursday.

The endoscopic ultrasound technique was a modern method to diagnose diseases and cure patients suffering from cancer of stomach and liver. However, there were only five centers for endoscopic ultrasound treatment in the country which were quite insufficient, he said, adding the workshop would be instrumental in familiar-ising doctors with endoscopic ultrasound technique.

Later, Dr Muhammad Khalid Hassan from Florida Hospital, Orlando, Dr Ali Ahmed Siddiqui from University of Pennsylvania, USA,DrAtharAhmedSaeed from Gateshed Hospital, Newcastle, besides other local medical experts in their lectures focused on diagnosis and treatment, medical complications relating to liver and stomach.

The foreign experts said by using endoscopic ultrasound, a detailed image of liver, digestive system, lungs could be obtained which helped in diagnosis and treatment.

The experts will impart training in endoscopy and ERSC through close-circuit cameras directly at the Medical Unit I of the Lahore General Hospital on Friday (today).

Some 50 or so patients would also be offered free endoscopy ultrasound facility during the three-day workshop, being organised by the Lahore General Hospital in collaboration with the Asian Endoscopy Ultrasound Group.