Indus Vitals

Non-compliant institutes may lose eligibility for July trainee inductions KARACHI: The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) has directed its affiliated institutes and hospitals to ensure the timely payment of fixed monthly stipends to FCPS and MCPS trainees, warning that non-compliant institutions will not be allowed to induct new trainees from July 2026. According to a CPSP communication, compliance with the stipend policy is mandatory for the continuation of institutional accreditation. “Institutions failing to implement the notified stipend policy may adversely affect their accreditation status,” it said. In a notification issued on May 30, CPSP Secretary Prof Irshad Waheed said it had come to the notice of the competent authorities that certain institutions and hospitals were not complying with CPSP guidelines and standard operating procedures regarding the payment of stipends to trainees, despite repeated instructions. The defaulting institutions have been di...

Advocates urge stronger enforcement of tobacco control laws, citing thousands of preventable deaths annually IV Report KARACHI: The Pakistan Chest Society (PCS) and the Tobacco Free Cities Coalition (TFCC) have warned that tobacco-related diseases are responsible for an estimated 164,000 deaths annually in Pakistan, a toll they say exceeds the combined mortality from tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and road traffic accidents. The organisations described tobacco use as a major public health challenge and urged authorities to strengthen enforcement of tobacco control laws. “An estimated 164,000 Pakistanis die each year from diseases caused by tobacco use,” said Prof Javaid Ahmed Khan, president of PCS Sindh. “This number exceeds the annual mortality from tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and road traffic crashes combined.” He said tobacco remains a leading risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, while also contributing to complications a...

Experts cite rural healthcare gaps, stillbirth risks, and delayed treatment IV Report KARACHI: Health experts, surgeons, and women’s rights advocates have called for urgent investment in maternal healthcare and stronger rural obstetric services to eliminate obstetric fistula in Pakistan, warning that thousands of women continue to suffer from one of the world’s most devastating — yet preventable — childbirth injuries. The call was made during separate events held in Karachi on May 23 to mark the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula 2026 under the theme, “Her Health Is a Right: Invest to End Fistula and Childbirth Injuries.” Speakers stressed that timely maternity care, skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric services, and community awareness were essential to preventing avoidable childbirth injuries and maternal deaths. The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) observed World Obstetric Fistula Day with an awareness session, where experts highlighted...

Tributes pour in for Karachi physician Dr Naseem Salahuddin, remembered for her work in rabies prevention, HIV care, and humanitarian service By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: Senior Karachi-based infectious diseases expert and humanitarian physician Professor Dr Naseem Salahuddin, widely respected for her lifelong services in infectious disease management, rabies prevention, HIV care, tuberculosis treatment, and public health advocacy, passed away after a tragic road accident in Morocco, prompting an outpouring of grief and tributes from Pakistan’s medical fraternity and international colleagues. “Dr Naseem was the epitome of what a medical professional should aspire to be. She was an exceptionally competent clinician, a thorough academic, and a pioneering force in infectious diseases.” This was stated by the Infection Control Society of Pakistan (ICSP) in a condolence note issued by Prof Dr Rafiq Khanani, Dr Nizam Damani, Dr Hasan Nawab, Dr Khursheed Hashmi, and Dr Saeed Abbasi. The I...

UNFPA links fistula risk to obstructed labour and poor maternal care KARACHI: Pakistan continues to face a silent but devastating maternal health challenge, as experts warn that obstetric fistula — a preventable childbirth injury — still threatens thousands of women, particularly teenage girls and those lacking access to safe maternity care. In a statement issued on the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, Dr Luay Shabaneh, UNFPA Representative in Pakistan, said fistula remained one of the most severe childbirth-related injuries, often leaving women incontinent, socially isolated, and emotionally traumatised. He stressed that the condition was both preventable and treatable, and called for sustained investment in maternal healthcare, surgical safety, and rehabilitation services across Pakistan. According to the statement, nearly 70 per cent of fistula cases in Pakistan are linked to surgical injuries, medically termed iatrogenic fistula, highlighting concerns over the q...

                                                                                      Sindh profile Doctors call for crackdown on illegal blood banks, unsafe injections and unhygienic barber practices IV Report KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Monday issued a strong warning over what it described as Pakistan’s rapidly worsening HIV/AIDS situation, blaming “criminal gaps” in health infrastructure, weak regulation and unsafe medical practices for accelerating the spread of the virus. In a statement issued from the PMA Central Secretariat on the occasion of National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said that while global researchers were making progress toward an effective HIV vaccine, Pakistan could not afford to ig...