Posts

JSMU launches wellness centre

Image
Signs campus mental health pledge on Wellness Day IV Report KARACHI: Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) marked the first International Wellness Day 2026 on April 27 by announcing the establishment of a Health and Wellness Centre and launching a university-wide Wellness Pledge aimed at addressing stress and burnout among students and faculty. The initiative was led by Dr M Iqbal Afridi in collaboration with the Internal Medicine Interest Group of Sindh Medical College-JSMU under the theme, “Integrating joy and sustainable health practices into daily life.” The United Nations had declared April 15 as International Wellness Day on March 10 this year. Introducing the resolution, Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Lok Bahadur Thapa, said the world was facing mounting health challenges and stressed the need for stronger, more resilient health systems. Speaking at the JSMU event, Dr Afridi said stress had become normalised in the fast-paced world of medicine, while burn...
Post a Comment
Read more

“Real intelligence lies in connecting with nature”: Shah

Image
Sindh education minister warns against overreliance on AI, stresses human consciousness and creativity at education summit in Karachi IV Report KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah on Saturday cautioned against the unchecked influence of artificial intelligence (AI), urging educators and policymakers to anchor future learning in human consciousness, creativity, and a deep connection with nature. Addressing the closing session of the 6th National Education Summit 2026 at the IBA Karachi auditorium, the minister said that while AI is rapidly transforming modern life, its long-term implications demand careful consideration. “It feels as though artificial intelligence has launched an attack; now we must think about our defense,” he remarked, framing the technological shift as both an opportunity and a challenge for education systems. The summit, titled “Nurturing Future-Ready Learners: Leadership Dialogue on AI and Generation Alpha,” was organised by the Pakistan...
Post a Comment
Read more

WHO clears first malaria treatment for newborns

Image
Adds new diagnostic tests to tackle detection gaps IV Report KARACHI: Ahead of World Malaria Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified the first malaria treatment developed specifically for newborns and young infants, and approved three new diagnostic tests to address emerging detection challenges. The newly approved formulation of artemether-lumefantrine is designed for babies weighing between two and five kilograms — a group long treated with medicines intended for older children, increasing the risk of dosing errors and side effects. WHO prequalification confirms the drug meets global standards of quality, safety and efficacy, enabling wider public-sector procurement and improving access for vulnerable infants. The move is expected to help close a longstanding treatment gap affecting millions of babies born annually in malaria-endemic regions, particularly in Africa, WHO said in a statement.                    ...
Post a Comment
Read more

PMA presses for decisive action to end malaria burden

Image
Association urges real-time surveillance systems and expanded preventive measures amid persistent malaria cases nationwide IV Report KARACHI: Marking World Malaria Day 2026, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has called for urgent, decisive action to eliminate malaria, warning that the disease continues to impose a heavy burden despite the availability of new tools and treatments. In a statement issued on April 25 aligned with this year’s global theme, “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must,” PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said that while scientific advances such as vaccines and next-generation mosquito nets have created unprecedented opportunities, their impact hinges on political will and timely implementation. The association also stressed the need to strengthen surveillance, urging authorities to implement a robust, data-driven reporting system to monitor and contain outbreaks in real time, alongside ensuring the availability of vaccines, diagnost...
Post a Comment
Read more

SIC, TI Pakistan plan joint drive for transparency in Sindh

Image
                                                                                               IV photo Both sides to launch awareness drives, train officials under RTI Act 2016 IV Report KARACHI: The Sindh Information Commission (SIC) and Transparency International Pakistan have agreed to collaborate to advance transparency and open governance in Sindh, terming effective implementation of the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016 a “cornerstone” for citizens’ access to information. According to an official handout issued Saturday, the agreement came during a meeting where both sides discussed enhancing public awareness, building capacity of public bodies, and streamlining mechanisms for timely and proactive disclosure of informa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Doctors urge vaccine push as ‘zero-dose’ crisis deepens

Image
PMA calls for structural reforms as PIMA urges parents to complete children’s immunisation IV Report KARACHI: As countries across the globe, including Pakistan, mark World Immunisation Week 2026 (April 24-30) to promote wider vaccine coverage among children, two leading medical bodies have issued both cautionary and motivational messages, calling for stronger government action and greater parental responsibility to improve immunisation uptake. The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Friday warned of a growing “zero-dose” crisis, saying Pakistan remains at a critical juncture with over one million children having received no vaccinations. It noted that around 58 per cent of children are either unimmunised or under-immunised, leaving them vulnerable to preventable diseases. Highlighting regional disparities, the PMA said routine immunisation coverage in Pakistan lags behind neighbours such as China and Iran, where coverage exceeds 95 per cent, and India and Bangladesh, which ...
Post a Comment
Read more

PMA calls ‘Healthcare Apocalypse’ as outbreaks grip Sindh

Image
Medical body slams ‘criminal paralysis’ of govt, cites 65 measles deaths and surge in HIV among children IV Report KARACHI: Calling Sindh “a breeding ground for preventable deaths,” the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Thursday (April 23) declared the province’s health system in collapse, warning of unchecked outbreaks of measles, HIV, Congo virus, and monkeypox amid what it termed the administration’s “criminal paralysis.” In a press release, the PMA said Sindh was “battling a multi-front epidemic” while public hospitals function understaffed, undersupplied, and unsafe for doctors and patients alike. The association said Sindh emerged as the worst-affected province in 2025 for measles, recording over 11,000 suspected cases, 4,200 confirmed infections, and 65 deaths, with the impact falling primarily on children under five and mortality worsened by malnutrition. Karachi, Khairpur, Sukkur and Jacobabad were identified as hotspots. The situation, it added, has reached a cr...
Post a Comment
Read more