Emergency enforced in all public-sector hospitals in Islamabad
Federal Minister for National Health Services and Coordination Mustafa Kamal made this announcement here on Wednesday as a part of urgent measures in response to the crisis. Emergency has been enforced in all public hospitals in Islamabad, and all medical staff have been instructed to remain fully alert and prepared to respond at any moment.
All scheduled leaves of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, and administrative personnel under the Federal Ministry of Health and its subordinate institutions have been cancelled with immediate effect. All employees are required to report to duty without delay.
The ministry has directed all the provincial health secretaries to maintain constant coordination with the federal health authorities. They have also been directed to regularly update their emergency response plans in accordance with evolving federal guidelines.
In view of the national emergency, Minister Kamal has cancelled his official visits to Geneva and Qatar. 'At this moment, my top priority is to focus on the domestic situation and ensure the protection of public health,' he stated.
A 24/7 Emergency Quick Response Centre has been established at the Federal Health Institution. This centre will assess health-related emergencies stemming from the ongoing conflict and coordinate immediate response efforts. It will maintain direct communication with all provincial and district health authorities to ensure a synchronised and efficient approach.
Kamal, has strongly denounced the Indian missile attack that struck civilian areas and targeted a mosque, calling it a blatant violation of international norms and an attack on humanity.
The minister said, 'By targeting innocent civilians and a place of worship, India has crossed all limits of decency and exposed its extremist mindset. This is not merely an assault on Pakistan—it is an attack on the entire Muslim Ummah.'
Calling the act a 'cowardly and unforgivable crime,' Kamal criticised the Modi administration for what he described as an act of provocation. 'India's actions reflect the true face of its leadership. The targeting of a mosque lays bare the deep-rooted extremism driving Indian policy,' he stated.
Kamal emphasised that Pakistan's commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness. 'The era of silence is over. The time has come to respond to the enemy in a language it understands,' he said, underscoring the nation's readiness to defend its sovereignty.
He said, 'Every citizen of Pakistan today stands firmly with our military. We are united, resolute, and prepared to confront any challenge to our dignity and security,' he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Challenge of cancer treatment, prevention
EDITORIAL: Recently, Pakistan has launched two significant public health partnership initiatives aimed at tackling cancer prevention and treatment. First, just a few days ago, the Federal Ministry of Health signed an agreement with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to participate in the Global Platform for Access to Child Cancer. This programme is designed to improve the availability and accessibility of lifesaving treatments for children battling cancer. With approximately 8,000 children diagnosed each year, this collaboration is expected to make a profound difference in the lives of young patients and their families. In addition, the Gates Foundation has announced plans to begin rolling out cervical cancer vaccinations next month. According to a senior official from the Foundation's Gender Equity Division, the initial phase will target girls aged 9 to 11, with the eventual goal of extending the vaccine to older girls and women. Access to both cancer treatment and prevention remains a critical challenge in many parts of the world, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan, where the cost of treatment can be prohibitively high for most families. In many low- and middle-income countries, the lack of affordable healthcare is one of the leading reasons behind the significantly lower cancer survival rates. In Pakistan, for instance, the current survival rate for children with cancer stands at just 30 percent, far below the 80 percent survival rate found in high-income countries. However, the federal Ministry of Health has expressed hope that by 2030, the survival rate for children in Pakistan could rise to 60 percent. That though is possible only if access to quality treatment becomes more widespread and affordable. Our participation in the Global Platform for Access to Child Cancer represents a vital opportunity for thousands of families who would otherwise be unable to afford such treatments. While providing free medicines is an essential step, it's equally crucial to raise public awareness about these resources. Effective communication is needed so that families in need can fully benefit from the available support. Turning to the second initiative, the HPV vaccine has already been successfully introduced in 25 African countries with the support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance — a public-private global health partnership. This initiative has saved millions of lives by preventing cervical cancer, a disease that disproportionately affects women in low- and middle-income countries. Undoubtedly, the HPV vaccine is one of the most effective methods for reducing cervical cancer incidence; it should be integrated into Pakistan's national vaccination programme, focusing initially on girls and young women. The success of HPV vaccination, along with the provision of quality-assured, free medicines — procured and distributed by UNICEF — could dramatically increase the survival rate of children diagnosed with cancer. The successful implementation of similar initiatives in other parts of the world highlights the potential impact of collaborative efforts between governments, international organisations, and health initiatives to combat preventable diseases. By replicating these programmes, Pakistan could make significant progress in cancer prevention and treatment, saving thousands of lives. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
USA tariff opens up new pharma export avenues
KARACHI: Pakistan's pharmaceutical sector foresees a window of opportunity to enhance its exports manifolds to the United State of America (USA) after announcement of new tariff policy for various countries which provides a competitive edge to Pakistan against neighbouring economies. Pakistan has been imposed a tariff of 19 percent for exporting its goods to the United States of America as compared to 25-50 percent or varying for India and up to 50 percent for China. 'Current favourable tariff structure presents an excellent opportunity for Pakistan's pharmaceutical sector to explore the USA market and earn valuable foreign exchange for the country. However, joint efforts are required to get regulatory approvals from the USA authorities,' said Shahzad Haider a healthcare sector expert and financial advisor. Pakistan's pharma sector export growth hits two-decade high He informed that India and China are two major importers of the medicines of the US market, hence, higher duties on these countries will create a significant room for other countries, including Pakistan to enhance their exports manifolds in the next few years. Data stated that the export of Indian pharmaceutical brands to the USA market stood at more than $8.5 billion and Chinese products stood at over $2.5 billion in 2024. In addition to a competitive advantage of tariff, the USA is presently facing depleting stocks of medicines in its healthcare industry which portraying an immense hike of demands for certain medicine in a major market of the world. 'It is right time that the government and all stakeholders of the pharmaceutical sector should set a roadmap to enter the USA market with its different products and enhance its exports to manifolds with respect to the demand of buyers,' Haider added. He mentioned that Pakistan could leverage its strengthening diplomatic ties with the US and work with its drug regulatory authority for bridging the supplies gap of medicines to its healthcare and wellness sector up to its standards. Pakistani products are capable of meeting the standards of the USA market depending upon the certification from the regulatory authority, Shahzad Haider said. However, Pakistani companies could meet supplies to the US market in a limited quantity due to its capacity constraints, he mentioned. He further said that long-term agreement with the US markets will lead to expansion of Pakistani pharmaceutical units that will attract foreign and domestic investment within the sector, he added. Considering the demands of the USA market, Haider said that, Pakistani pharmaceutical exporters could double the exports of the country within next two years but they require strict adherence to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, investment in modern manufacturing facilities, and certification from international regulatory bodies. Dr Kaiser Waheed, former Chairman Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufac-turers Association (PPMA) said that Pakistan is exporting herbal medicines to the USA market but its quantity could be increased manifold. He mentioned that a number of Pakistan's pharmaceutical products with recognition of the global drug authorities could also explore export potential in the USA market depending upon the approval of the (Food and Drug Administration FDA). He pinned hope that the improving bilateral diplomatic and trade between the USA and Pakistan may help Pakistan's pharmaceutical industry to make inroads in the US market within the next few months. According Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, overall exports of medicines from Pakistan grew by 34 percent to $457 million during FY25the highest ever growth in terms of percentage marking a 20-year high due to deregulation of the sector and innovation. At present, Pakistan exports medicines to 70 countries worldwide in Europe, USA, Central Asia, Africa and other countries. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
India's Apollo Hospitals beats estimates for Q1 profit on strong demand
HYDERABAD: India's Apollo Hospitals Enterprise on Tuesday reported its fifth straight quarterly profit rise, beating analysts' estimates on higher demand for its healthcare services. The hospital chain operator reported a consolidated net profit that rose 41.8% to 4.33 billion rupees ($49.40 million) for the April-June quarter. Analysts, on average, had expected of 3.86 billion rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG. Indian hospital chains such as Apollo and Manipal have been increasing their bed count for a larger share of the market, including through acquisitions of smaller hospital operators. Temasek-backed Manipal acquired a majority stake in local peer Sahyadri Hospitals last month. Apollo said it is on track to add 4,370 beds over the next 3-4 years through acquisition, setting up new hospitals, aswell as expansion of existing facilities. The hospital operator had 8,030 operational beds as of June 30. Occupancy rate for the quarter, however, saw a slight dip to 65% from 68% last year. Total revenue for the first quarter rose 15% to 58.42 billion rupees beating estimates of 57.44 billion rupees, aided by a 12% growth in the healthcare services business that contributes more than half of the total revenue. The company expects double-digit revenue growth for the current financial year. Its offline pharmacy and digital healthcare business reported a 19% rise in revenue. Apollo spun off the business recently and aims to list it as a separate entity in the next 18-21 months.
