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

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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 ...
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PMA calls ‘Healthcare Apocalypse’ as outbreaks grip Sindh

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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...
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PCS Karachi charts 2026 course for heart health

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New e-bulletin launched; experts stress research-led prevention and stronger inter-body collaboration IV Report KARACHI: The Karachi chapter of the Pakistan Cardiac Society (PCS) last week outlined its strategic roadmap for 2026 at a session titled “Clinical Innovation & Strategic Continuity,” held at the Tabba Heart Institute. The meeting brought together leading cardiologists and healthcare stakeholders to align priorities around clinical innovation, research, and institutional collaboration in cardiovascular care. Proceedings were moderated by Dr Aliya Kemal Ahsan, who also announced the launch of “The Karachi Beat,” an e-bulletin aimed at improving clinical communication and sharing emerging research within the cardiology community. Speaking about the initiative, Chief Editor Dr Akram Sultan and Editor Dr Aliya Kemal said separately that the publication—also referred to as “Heart Beat”—was envisioned as more than an academic outlet. “It is a platform for connection, ...
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Sindh begins fresh push against polio

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April 13 OPV drive targets 10.6m children, with Vitamin A as virus spreads beyond Karachi IV Report KARACHI: Sindh on Monday (April 13) launched the second round of the nationwide oral polio vaccination campaign for 2026, with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurating the seven-day drive at a ceremony held at a government school in Karachi. Addressing the event, the chief minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating the crippling disease, stressing that all-out efforts were being made to eliminate the poliovirus and protect children across the province. Officials noted that while Karachi districts had reported a significant burden of infection in recent years, cases are now being detected in Hyderabad and other districts, indicating a shift in transmission patterns. The campaign aims to vaccinate around 10.6 million children under five years of age across Sindh through the efforts of over 83,000 frontline polio workers. These children are also cover...
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Sindh reports polio surveillance gains ahead of April campaign

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Over 73,000 workers to vaccinate 10.5m children from April 13–19 IV Report KARACHI: Sindh, attributing an improvement in its environmental surveillance (ES) site results reported lately, is gearing up for the second nationwide oral polio vaccine campaign from April 13 to 19, targeting around 10.5 million children under five across the province. The province, according to official data, has attained significant gains in its ongoing polio eradication efforts, with 76 per cent — 22 out of 29 — ES sites testing negative for poliovirus in March 2026, marking the strongest improvement recorded over the past three years. Against nine confirmed polio cases in children from Sindh last year, the province has reported one case so far this year — the only confirmed case in the country to date. By 2025, Pakistan had 127 environmental sampling sites, including 29 in Sindh, which reported six negative and 23 positive samples during the year. Karachi remained a hotspot, with a high number of...
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Hamdard conference inspires next generation in health

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Innovations in health, medicine, and learning showcased by experts and young delegates IV Report KARACHI: The transformative power of modern technology and science took centre stage at the International Children’s Health Conference held in Karachi on April 7, highlighting how access to knowledge and innovation can shape the future of medicine and education. Organised by Hamdard Foundation Pakistan (HFP) and hosted by its President, Sadia Rashid, the conference followed the World Health Organisation’s World Health Day theme: “United for Health, Stand with Science.” It brought together scientists, health experts, educators, and young delegates from Pakistan and abroad, both in-person and via virtual platforms. Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, a renowned scientist, researcher, and former federal minister, delivered the keynote address. He spoke about the rapid advancements in technology across multiple fields, including medical research, computing, chemical sciences, and biology. Highlight...
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Alarming health indicators expose systemic gaps: PMA

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On World Health Day, the association flags underinvestment, inequities in Pakistan’s healthcare system IV Report KARACHI: Marking World Health Day on Tuesday (April 7), the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) warned that Pakistan’s health indicators remain well below even the minimum benchmarks for developing countries, urging an urgent, science-led overhaul of public health policy and spending priorities. In a statement aligned with the World Health Organisation (WHO) theme “Together for Health: Stand with Science,” Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, PMA secretary general, said the country was entering the global observance amid a “deepening, multi-layered health crisis” driven by chronic underinvestment, weak governance and widening inequities in access to care. He regretted that public health needs continued to be overshadowed by non-essential expenditures, leaving critical infrastructure and services underfunded. Citing data from the World Bank, WHO and UNICEF, the PMA highlighted a se...
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