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WHO calls for science-led health action

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As the world marks World Health Day , the World Health Organisation highlights progress but warns of emerging health risks KARACHI: The World Health Organisation has called for renewed commitment to science and collaboration as key drivers of better health, as Pakistan joins the rest of the world in observing World Health Day on April 7. This year’s theme, “Together for health. Stand with science,” marks the anniversary of WHO’s founding and launches a year-long global campaign focused on strengthening evidence-based public health action. In a statement issued from Geneva on April 6, the WHO highlighted that human health has been transformed over the past century largely due to scientific progress and international cooperation. It noted that the global maternal mortality rate has declined by more than 40 per cent since 2000, while deaths among children under five have dropped by over half, reflecting gains driven by advances in medicine, technology and coordinated public hea...
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Stakeholders push long-term plan against dog bites, rabies

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Meeting urges coordinated, multi-sectoral effort and stronger government backing for dog population control across Sindh IV Report KARACHI: Amid a reported surge in dog bite incidents — particularly affecting children and women across Sindh — stakeholders at a meeting held under the banner of the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) on March 30 finalised a draft for a comprehensive, long-term dog population management programme, calling for strong political will to implement what they described as a “scientific roadmap” to curb rabies and related risks. The meeting, held at The Indus Hospital, brought together 35 participants representing a wide spectrum of sectors, including veterinary experts, animal welfare activists, legal professionals, government departments, educationists, religious scholars and concerned citizens. Representatives from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, cantonment authorities, and media and training institutions were also in attendance. Mi...
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Karachi’s fire safety test

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A preventable tragedy underscores how weak enforcement, fragmented accountability and routine neglect have turned Karachi’s fire safety laws into paper promises — with deadly consequences. Top of Form The devastating blaze at Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road — which reportedly claimed more than 70 lives and gutted a commercial complex housing over 1,200 shops — has once again exposed a grim reality of urban governance in Karachi. Fire safety regulations may exist in policy documents and building codes, but for much of the city they remain little more than words on paper. Each major fire in Karachi tends to follow a familiar cycle: shock, grief, public anger, promises of inquiries, and eventually a slow return to normality. What rarely follows is sustained reform. The tragedy at Gul Plaza, however, should compel authorities and stakeholders to confront a difficult truth: Karachi’s fire safety crisis is not the result of missing laws, but of weak enforcement and fragmented accountab...
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Rebuild plan, payouts advance for Gul Plaza victims

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CM seeks swift verification as compensation crosses 900 beneficiaries IV Report KARACHI: Sindh government in addition to providing financial compensations to victim shopkeepers of the tragic huge fire incident at Gul Plaza, Karachi, or their families, is preparing rebuilding the blaze-gutted commercial complex housing over 1200 small or big shops, it emerged on April 1. The development came as Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a high-level meeting at the CM House to review the pace of compensation disbursement and outline steps for reconstruction of the market, which was devastated by a massive fire on January 19. Officials briefed the meeting that the provincial government had earmarked Rs850 million for families of those who lost their lives in the incident, fixing compensation at Rs10 million per deceased. Out of 72 reported fatalities, cheques have so far been delivered to 61 families at their residences by provincial ministers, while the remaining cases are at var...
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SBTA flags safety risks from informal blood collection

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Regulator cites weak oversight, unsafe practices and TTI risks; vows tighter enforcement and improved screening KARACHI: Unregistered or informal blood collection activities pose a significant risk to transfusion safety in Sindh due to the absence of standardised screening, licensing and regulatory oversight, the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) has said, highlighting continuing challenges in bringing such operators under formal regulation. In response to queries regarding blood safety and transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), the authority’s Secretary, Dr Dur-e Naz Jamal, stated that informal collectors increase the likelihood of unsafe transfusions and heightened transmission risks, as they operate outside established quality-control systems. She acknowledged that regulating independent or informal collectors remains complex. Among the key challenges are difficulty in identifying unregistered operators, limited enforcement resources, legal constraints, and public...
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One in 20 blood donations in Sindh infected with TTIs

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SBTA data shows 5.7pc of blood donations in 2025 detected reactive for at least one infection By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: Thousands of donated blood units in Sindh were discarded in 2025 after screening detected transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), highlighting continuing public health challenges and gaps in safe donor recruitment, this emerged lately. Data compiled from four regional blood centres (RBCs) and blood banks registered with the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) show that 47,375 blood units were rejected after testing positive for infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria. The figures indicate that 5.7 per cent of the 833,050 blood donations screened during the year were found reactive for at least one infection, meaning roughly one in every 20 donated blood units could not be used for transfusion. According to SBTA records, 209 licensed blood banks across Sindh collectively received 932,966 donors in 2025 -- 920,585 ma...
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Experts advise diabetic patients to seek medical guidance before fasting

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Doctors and religious scholars stress informed decision-making, warn against health risks of unsupervised fasting KARACHI: As Ramadan approaches, religious scholars and diabetes specialists have warned that fasting without proper guidance can pose serious health risks for patients with diabetes. They stressed that those medically advised not to fast should not feel guilty, as Islamic teachings provide exemptions for those whose health may be harmed. The caution came during the “Diabetes and Ramadan Patient Awareness Program” organised by the National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (NIDE) at Dow University of Health Sciences’ Ojha Campus. The event was chaired by NIDE Director Dr Musarrat Riaz and attended by numerous diabetic patients along with their family members. Speaking at the seminar, Dr Musarrat Riaz said the programme aimed to provide “accurate, scientific, and practical guidance” to diabetic patients regarding fasting. She highlighted the need for collaboratio...
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