Indus Vitals

Smog in its worst form of the outdoor air pollution during the winter months has once again frequented over various districts of Punjab including Lahore and other adjacent parts of the country, creating overwhelming concerns in public health, education, environmental and economic sectors. Both the communities and the governments could not go beyond short-term management of the very sources of smog – a threatening man-caused problem.  Reports suggest that the Punjab government issued various sets of guidelines covering the schools, hospitals and other businesses. Seeing no let-off, it declared state of emergency in Lahore and Multan, calling for closure of schools, special arrangements in hospitals and suspension of construction activities, etc. as the air-quality index (AQI) reading turned furious –setting new records. Government and private offices were asked to observe the hybrid system of operations encouraging 50 per cent of staff to work from home, besides imposing a ban on ...

IV Report KARACHI: Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) conferred 2,523 degrees on graduates from various academic programmes at its 14th convocation, held at the Ojha Campus on November 28. Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori was the chief guest. The graduates included four PhD, six MPhil, 10 MDs, and 12 MS scholars. They were presented for award of degrees in groups by their respective faculty heads, with applause from guests, fellow students, and parents. In addition to the Best Graduates Awards given to Dow Medical College (DMC) graduates, 168 graduates from different DUHS-administered institutions received gold, silver, or bronze medals for achieving distinguished positions in their respective examinations. Governor Tessori, also the chancellor of the university, and DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof M Saeed Quraishy presented the awards. Breakdown of graduates A university handout provided the breakdown of outgoing candidates from medical and dental programs: - Dow Medical C...

By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: As the World AIDS Day approaches on December 1, Sindh faces a critical challenge in its fight against HIV/AIDS with the Sindh AIDS Commission (SAC) remaining inactive, despite the province reporting 5,444 new HIV cases in 2023 and 2024 i.e., a 22% increase over two years. The SAC’s inactivity is said to be a violation of the Sindh HIV/AIDS Control Treatment and Protection Act, 2013. A former government officer, who for long remained a key associate in the AIDS control functionary, said: “The obvious official neglect and apathy has turned the Commission into a dormant and forgotten organ and it was never allowed to enter its infancy”. He apprehended that the non-functioning of the SAC can be challenged in court of law by any NGO, lawyer or media person. Studies and interviews of the quarters concerned conducted by this reporter revealed that the much emphasised statutory body (SAC), which was installed much behind its stipulated schedule, was never taken s...

IV Report KARACHI: In a significant move to enhance faculty capabilities, two public sector medical universities in Karachi, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), have separately launched national outreach programmes for higher education faculty. This initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan. The DUHS programme was inaugurated at the digital library of Dow Medical University, featuring prominent academic figures, including DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Saeed Quraishy and NAHE Director Sulaiman Ahmed. The programme offers dynamic modules focused on technology integration, enabling educators to navigate the evolving digital landscape and design innovative learning environments, Professor Quraishy noted. Key Modules:     - Communication skills module: Develop impactful narratives for presentations and teaching sessions.     - Research and dev...

·        Pakistan among countries with highest diabetes-related mental health issues IV Report KARACHI: A recent International Diabetes Federation (IDF) global survey has revealed alarming rates of mental health conditions among diabetics in Pakistan. The study, released ahead of World Diabetes Day, shows 78% of Pakistani diabetics experience anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues due to their condition. According to the survey, diabetes affects the mental health of 77% of patients globally, while 83% fear developing complications. Factors contributing to mental health concerns include daily diabetes management (76%), stigma and discrimination (58%), and fear of needles (55%). In Pakistan, 3 in 4 diabetics experience mental health conditions, with 58% facing stigma. The IDF survey, conducted online via Smart Survey from September 9 to October 9 this year, gathered responses from 1,880 individuals across seven countries: Brazil, India, Indo...

67,226 under-5 fatalities  reported in 2023 KARACHI: Pakistan ranked fourth among 15 focus countries worldwide, accounting for 67,226 deaths among children under five due to pneumonia and diarrhea in 2023, as reported in the latest Pneumonia and Diarrhea Progress Report (2024) by the International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The report highlighted a 12% decrease in pneumonia and diarrhea deaths compared to 76,553 deaths in Pakistan in 2022. Vaccination coverage improved slightly: MCV1 (84%), RotaC (90%), PCV3 (86%), Hib3 (86%), and DPT3 (86%). Exclusive breastfeeding remained steady at 48%, up from 47% in 2022. Pakistani children’s deaths due to pneumonia and diarrhea equated to 11/1000 live births, compared to 13/1000 of 2022.   Like other 14 surveyed countries with the greatest burden of under-5 pneumonia and diarrhea deaths, Pakistan was not found up to the mark when it comes to meeting certain targets of protecting...

IV Report KARACHI: Pakistan is facing a daunting challenge with an estimated 33 million diabetes patients, accounting for 6% of global estimates. The statistics are staggering, with 0.99 million suffering from foot ulcers, 6.6 million experiencing eye problems, and 9.24 million undergoing dialysis. Experts warn that if left unchecked, Pakistan may top the list of countries with the highest number of diabetes patients. The severity of diabetes complications is further compounded by the fact that many individuals remain unaware they have the disease. Dr Zahid Mian, a renowned diabetes expert, highlights that a single dialysis session costs at least 5,000 rupees, translating to a monthly economic burden of 60,000 rupees for three sessions per week. Globally, the picture is equally concerning, with 540 million people suffering from diabetes and an estimated 643 million by 2030. Every six seconds, two people are diagnosed with diabetes, and in low- and middle-income countries, four out ...

By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: The government's environmental watchdog has decided to re-examine public concerns raised during a recent hearing on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report on Education City scheme, a massive Sindh government project along the Super Highway, which has been in the works for about 15 years and already has stakeholders developing infrastructure, this emerged on November 2. Located in Deh Chuhar, Gaddap, Karachi's Malir district, the Education City project spans 8,921 acres and aims to empower youth with knowledge, skills, and institutions. The project will house over 50 nationally and internationally acclaimed institutions. Its Master Plan has been prepared for the next 30 years, with three phases comprising commercial, residential, recreational, and amenities. Concerns and assurances: A source in the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) said that after hearing the community groups’ concerns in the Friday’s EIA event, authorities are d...

IV Report KARACHI: The sixth meeting of the University of Karachi's syndicate for 2024, held on October 31, was marked by intense debate on several issues, including the promotion of 54 university officers to higher grades. A senior faculty member, Dr Riaz Ahmed, a syndicate member, expressed concerns that the university administration applies different criteria for promoting teaching and non-teaching staff. Despite the syndicate approving promotions for over 50 officers in grades 18 to 20, Dr Ahmed pointed out to the chair of the meeting, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid M Iraqi, that the departmental promotion committee violated the syndicate's set policy by not including a syndicate member in the promotion committee, as decided in 2018. He also highlighted that eight candidates received higher grades under the Incentive Scheme, despite already availing of the benefit twice, which undermines the rules. Other contentious issues included disagreements over the minutes of ...