Indus Vitals

Non-functional website and missing disclosures draw warning from SIC during Jamshoro inspection IV Report KARACHI: Information Commissioners of the Sindh Information Commission (SIC) carried out an inspection of the Sehwan Development Authority (SDA) headquarters in Jamshoro, expressing concern over the authority’s failure to comply with key transparency requirements under the Sindh Right to Information and Transparency Act, 2016. Information Commissioners Muhammad Saleem Khan and Noor Muhammad Dayo visited the SDA head office under Section 13(4) of the Act, where they examined records related to development projects, budget allocations, staffing and other administrative matters, including the authority’s record room. During the visit, the commissioners expressed displeasure over the non-functioning website of the SDA and directed the Director General to make it operational at the earliest, with proactive disclosure of information as required under Section 6 of the Act. They a...

Plantation drive highlights role of mangroves in protecting Karachi’s vulnerable coastline KARACHI – In a vibrant display of youth-led environmental action, over 100 students from the Mass Communication Department of the University of Karachi planted more than 2,000 mangrove saplings at Kaderu Island off Rehri Goth, ahead of World Tsunami Awareness Day, which was observed on November 5. The initiative aimed to restore the city’s natural coastal defences and raise awareness about rising sea levels, tidal surges, and the crucial role of mangroves in protecting vulnerable shorelines. The plantation drive, organised by the student-led Mangrove Crew, blended hands-on learning, eco-tourism, and disaster-education sessions. For the students, it was more than just planting trees—it was an opportunity to connect with the coastal ecosystem and witness firsthand the protective power of mangroves. “Mangroves revival along the coastline of Sindh demands emergency synergetic efforts from gov...

Unsafe medical waste and failing public services expose the cost of fragmented urban governance in Pakistan’s largest city Karachi’s silent emergencies are unfolding in plain sight, steadily eroding the city’s health, environment, and civic stability. Two recent  Social Track  reports — on unsafe infectious medical waste disposal and on the rising distress caused by Karachi’s failing public services — show how these quiet, persistent crises are tightening their grip. Together, they reveal a megacity struggling with systemic neglect, fragmented governance, and an alarming decline in the protections that should safeguard its people. The medical waste report revealed unsettling gaps that directly threaten public health. Every day, hospitals and clinics across Karachi generate tonnes of infectious materials, yet the systems meant to collect, segregate, transport, and incinerate this waste remain fragmented. Several facilities still lack functional incinerators or rely on outso...

Collaboration to develop academic programmes through SIMS and expand affordable, quality learning opportunities nationwide IV Report KARACHI: Carrying forward the legacy of his late father, renowned humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, Edhi Foundation CEO Faisal Edhi on December 11 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) to enhance paramedic education and training across the country. The collaboration aims to introduce value-added programmes aligned with emerging needs in medical specialties. At a ceremony held at SIUT, Director Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi and Faisal Edhi formalised the agreement, described as a step toward establishing an academic programme to support medical and paramedical education and training. Before the signing, SIUT trustee Syed Shabbar Zaidi told an audience of doctors and allied staff that strengthening the paramedical workforce was essential to meet modern healthcare demands in an era of rapidly ...

IHHN–Chicago collaboration to form joint working group for long-term clinical and research partnerships in neuroscience, oncology and genomics IV Report KARACHI: The idea to build the country’s first collaborative Centre of Excellence spanning neuroscience, oncology, genomics and other advanced specialties received a major push at a two-day international symposium hosted at Salim Habib University and later at Governor House Karachi. The event, attended by leading Pakistani and international physicians and researchers, highlighted emerging opportunities for advanced clinical care, research and training, according to a press release. Leaders from the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) and Insight Hospital & Medical Center, Chicago, worked together at the inaugural IndusInsight2025 Symposium to design a coordinated roadmap for integrated and high-end medical services in Pakistan. The moot concluded on December 7 (Sunday). Delivering the keynote address, Dr Jawad Shah,...

Says Pakistan cannot combat the epidemic without reliable data, revived initiatives, and strict enforcement of blood-safety standards. IV Report KARACHI: Appearing not satisfied with the existing official measures aimed at checking the persisting spread of HIV infections across the country, the Pakistan Medical Association has called for a complete overhauling of the official hubs of the diseases (HIV) control system, as the citizens celebrated World AIDS Day once again in the absence of any confirmed national consolidated status report of the disease giving HIV patient number, rates of new infections, people receiving the due treatment and other pertaining achievements, if any. Marking World AIDS Day under the global theme “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,” the PMA said in a statement issued by its Secretary General, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, that the country’s HIV emergency was being compounded by policy inertia, worsening inequalities in care, and the failu...

KU seminar on World Food Day stresses modern farming, waste reduction, and healthier dietary habits KARACHI: Pakistan’s deepening food crisis, coupled with rising unhealthy dietary trends and waste of agricultural produce, reflects an urgent need for bringing policy reforms and modernisation in the sector, experts cautioned at a World Food Day seminar organised by the University of Karachi. Speaking at the event, KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi said that although Pakistan is known as an agricultural country, it still depends on food imports because of poor planning and outdated farming practices. He urged the adoption of modern technologies and stronger linkages between academia and industry to boost productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and make the food system more resilient and nutrition-focused. In addition, Prof Iraqi noted that academic institutions, especially those linked to agriculture, should align their curricula with industry demands to meet c...