Dr Faraz Pathan
Faraz Pathan’s speaks with the zeal of an evangelist about how best to address the obesity epidemic in our community.
“Our community is already the third most obese metro area in Australia.”
The cardiologist and cardiovascular imaging specialist has worked across Australia and around the world honing his skills, and researching and reflecting deeply on possible solutions to the growing scourge of obesity.
Faraz argues that obesity is overwhelmingly a cultural and a socio-economic problem, with shift work, long commutes and long working hours significant contributors locally.
His big idea he is prosecuting is for eventual legislation to mandate a half hour, paid exercise break for every workplace. Faraz argues strenuously that such an initiative would be cost neutral for employers, once productivity gains from the reform and the costs of employee ill health to workplaces were factored in.
“It would be a transformational change for our nation. It would be great for our hospital to be a place that drives wellness, not just a place to address sickness,” says Faraz.
A trial programme is due to kick off shortly.
Faraz Pathan loves living locally, because he believes health care should be “for the people, by the people.”
He is ambitious for Nepean and wants to help the institution “take its rightful place as one of the great teaching hospitals in NSW.”
“Our ambition should be to change the conversation, to be the custodians of good health in our area.”
Dr Faraz Pathan
MBBS, PhD, FRACP
Dr Faraz Pathan is a cardiologist and cardiovascular imaging specialist. He is currently the head of cardiac imaging and cardiac research in the Cardiology department at Nepean Hospital.
Research interests
Reducing heart failure hospital readmissions; using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); ultrasound and other imaging technologies to improve cardiovascular disease diagnosis.