Indus Vitals

Medical association raises concerns over suspected hospital-linked HIV cases and the growing burden of infections among children and other vulnerable populations. IV Report KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has called for an immediate judicial inquiry into suspected nosocomial (hospital-acquired) HIV infections allegedly linked to government-run healthcare facilities in Sindh, warning that the increasing number of HIV cases among the general population, including children, has become a matter of serious public concern. In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the PMA expressed alarm over reports of HIV cases associated with treatment received at the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution (SESSI) Landhi Hospital and nearby regional clinics. The association described the situation as a “grave breach of public trust” and urged authorities to determine whether lapses in infection prevention and control contributed to the spread of the virus. The PMA sta...

10m have Hepatitis C and 44% of new global infections from unsafe injections occur in the country IV Report KARACHI: On World Hepatitis Day, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) warned that unsafe medical practices are driving Pakistan’s hepatitis epidemic, leaving millions undiagnosed and at risk of fatal liver disease. With no recent official yearly or quarterly government update available, PMA relied on WHO global estimates to highlight the scale of the problem. According to those figures, Pakistan carries the heaviest Hepatitis C burden in the world with an estimated 10 million people living with chronic HCV. Combined with 3.8 million people living with Hepatitis B, a total of 13.8 million Pakistanis are living with chronic viral hepatitis. The human cost is steep. Liver cirrhosis and liver cancer linked to hepatitis claim more than 37,000 lives in Pakistan every year. National prevalence is estimated at 4.8% to 7.5% for Hepatitis C and 1.1% to 1.7% for Hepatitis B. But...

‘PROTECT’ strategy aims to cut 300,000 annual deaths, with majority in LMICs, as climate risks grow GENEVA/ACCRA: For the parents watching children near rivers, wells and water tanks, a moment’s lapse can turn fatal. With nearly 300,000 people dying from drowning each year, the World Health Organization on Thursday launched a new plan to make water safer.                                                                      Ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July, WHO released PROTECT, a technical package outlining seven evidence-based strategies for governments and communities. More than 90% of drowning deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Drowning is also among the top 10 causes of death for children aged 5–14. The risks are rising with climate change. WHO noted that floods, storms and...

Association cites ‘humiliating’ pay, violence, tax burden and 65,000 drop in MDCAT applicants; demands end-to-end reforms from admissions to job retention or risk ‘total vacuum’ in 10–15 years IV Report KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has warned of a collapse in the country’s medical pipeline stretching from college admissions to hospital jobs, saying the profession is being abandoned by both aspiring students and trained doctors due to low pay, insecurity, and what it called systemic state neglect. In an emergency press statement released Thursday, PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said Pakistan is “sleepwalking into a devastating healthcare freeze” that could leave millions without doctors within the next decade and a half unless immediate, system-wide reforms are enacted. The association pointed first to medical education. Applicants for this year’s Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) fell by 65,000 — down to 135,000 from over 200,000...

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah says excavation during development works frequently uncovers undocumented utility lines and underground installations, complicating infrastructure projects across the city. IV Report KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has identified undocumented underground infrastructure as a major factor contributing to delays in Karachi's development projects, saying that excavation work frequently reveals utility lines and installations for which engineering records are unavailable. Speaking at a ceremony organised by the Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said major infrastructure schemes in the city often encounter unforeseen challenges stemming from decades of incomplete documentation and planning. "During excavation work, previously undocumented utility lines and infrastructure frequently emerge, causing delays in development projects," he said. Murad Ali Shah noted that Kar...

Murad Ali Shah tells KATI gathering that infrastructure investment and partnership with Indus Hospital and Health Network are helping expand economic activity and healthcare access across Sindh. By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has reaffirmed his government's support for industrial development and public-private collaboration in healthcare, saying that sustained investment in infrastructure and partnership with the Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) are contributing to economic growth and improved public services across the province. Speaking at a ceremony organised by the Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) in honour of IHHN founder Dr Abdul Bari Khan on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said industrial development remained one of the foremost priorities of the Sindh Government. "Our objective is not merely to build roads and bridges but to create an enabling environment where industries can grow, investments can flouris...