Latest news with #MinistryofNationalHealthServices
Hans India
3 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Pakistan confirms 11th polio case of 2025
Islamabad: Pakistan has confirmed its 11th case of wild poliovirus this year after the virus was detected in a child from the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination said in a statement on Monday. According to the ministry, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed the presence of the virus in stool samples collected from a child in Diamer district. The detection came shortly after the conclusion of the third nationwide polio vaccination campaign of the year, which took place from May 26 to June 1. The campaign reached more than 45 million children under the age of five across 159 districts, including high-risk areas, according to health officials. Health officials have urged parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, calling the current campaign a vital opportunity to shield children from the crippling virus, Xinhua news agency reported. Pakistan reported 74 polio cases in 2024, according to official data. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus remains endemic. Polio workers have frequently been targeted in attacks, particularly in the northwest and southwest regions. One of the reasons for the presence of the virus is the refusal of the majority of people to have their children vaccinated. Polio health workers have been victims of targeted killings and attacks by militant groups, who have opposed anti-polio campaigns in the country. According to the World Health Organization, Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under 5 years of age. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g. contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis. In 1988, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution for the worldwide eradication of polio, marking the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, spearheaded by national governments, WHO, Rotary International, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, and later joined by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Wild poliovirus cases have decreased by over 99 per cent since 1988, from an estimated 350,000 cases in more than 125 endemic countries to 6 reported cases in 2021. Of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type 1, type 2 and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 1999, and wild poliovirus type 3 was eradicated in 2020. As of 2022, endemic wild poliovirus type 1 remains in two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Health
- Business Recorder
World No Tobacco Day: WHO, GoP join hands to deal with devastating economic & health impacts
ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan and the World Health Organization (WHO) have joined hands to jointly collaborate to deal with the devastating economic and health impacts of tobacco, which annually results in the deaths of 164,000 people and financially cause Rs700 billion or $2.5 billion losses to the country. The development came here on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day jointly organised by the WHO and the Ministry of National Health Services. The participants emphasised that all tobacco products on the market, without exception and regardless of the manufacturer, are extremely harmful to health and pose serious risks to people of all ages including children and teenagers. Speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary Health Laeeq Ahmad said that Pakistan was a proud signatory to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Pakistan remains firmly committed to implementing comprehensive, evidence-based measures to reduce tobacco use. He thanked all partners, including WHO, for their unwavering support. 'Together, let us work towards a tobacco-free Pakistan, a nation where our people can live, work, and thrive in an environment that values health, safety, and well-being,' He said that Pakistan in collaboration with WHO and other partners was committed to work together on urgent and sustainable measures to save lives. Measures include long-term increased taxation, advertising bans, regulation on plan packaging and product design to reduce appeal – especially to vulnerable populations such as children and teenagers, tobacco and nicotine-free public spaces, strict enforcement of tobacco control laws, and medical support for those who want to quit. Research has shown that measures such as tobacco taxation are effective in increasing revenues for the government while also reducing consumption, tobacco-related diseases, and pressure on health systems. Pakistan ratified the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2004, and WHO provides continuous technical support to the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination and the Federal Board of Revenue in areas such as tobacco tax policy and track-and-trace implementation. WHO Deputy Representative in Pakistan Ellen Thom said, 'The 164,000 people dead to tobacco every year are not just numbers. They are workers with families. They are sons and daughters. They are also teenagers and children, who are particularly vulnerable and an easy target for the advertisement of the tobacco industry. Let us unmask the appeal. Tobacco is not a candy; it is a killer, and we need to protect our children, our families, and our communities.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
17-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Ultra-processed products: Parliamentarians urged to impose taxes
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) urged parliamentarians for imposing taxes on ultra-processed products to curb rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs), said a press release. More than 41 per cent of Pakistani adults are classified as overweight or obese, while over 33 million individuals are living with diabetes. Alarmingly, an additional 10 million people are pre-diabetic. If urgent and decisive policy actions are not taken, projections indicate that the number of diabetes patients in Pakistan could soar to 62 million by 2045. A key contributor to this escalating health crisis is the consumption of unhealthy diets, particularly ultra-processed food and beverage products, which are often laden with excessive amounts of sugar, salt, and trans fats. These dietary patterns are among the most significant modifiable risk factors driving the prevalence of NCDs in the country. In response to the alarming surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across Pakistan, the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) convened a high-level pre-budget sensitization roundtable aimed at galvanizing support from parliamentarians for the imposition of excise taxes on ultra-processed products (UPPs) in the upcoming Finance Bill 2025–26. The event was attended by MNA Saad Balouch, MNA Shafqat Awan, MNA Brig Aslam Ghumman, MNA Ghazala Chitrali, MNA Dr Nelson Azeem, Ex MNA DrNisar Cheema, MNA Saad Baloch, MNA Moazam Ali Khan, Health and nutritionist expert Munawar Hussain and General Secretary PANAH Sana Ullah Ghumman. PANAH emphasised that increasing excise taxes on ultra-processed products is an evidence-based, globally endorsed strategy proven to reduce consumption of harmful foods and mitigate the burden of related chronic illnesses. PANAH called on legislators to take bold action in the Finance Bill 2025–26 by extending excise taxes to include a wider range of UPPs, especially all categories of sweetened beverages and processed snacks. This policy intervention is not only essential for safeguarding public health but also presents a dual benefit: generating additional revenue for the government while reducing the healthcare costs associated with NCDs. These revenues should be earmarked for strengthening public health programs. PANAH shred with the participants that Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has submitted a proposal to increase taxes on ultra-processed products in Finance Bill 2025-26. PANAH seek the support of parliamentarians for public health. Parliamentarians in attendance expressed grave concern over the growing NCD crisis and agreed on the urgent need for preventive strategies, including taxation of unhealthy food and beverage products. They acknowledged PANAH's tireless efforts to protect public health and pledged their support for future policy reforms aimed at reducing dietary risks. Parliamentarians with a renewed commitment by parliamentarians to advocate for pro-health fiscal measures in the Finance Bill 2025–26. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
WHT on import of specific medicines exempted
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has exempted withholding tax on the import of medicines (Cystagon/Systagon capsules). In this regard, the FBR has issued a notification i.e. SRO 722(I)/2025 on Thursday. According to the notification, the FBR has exempted withholding tax under section 148 of the Income Tax Ordinance on import of the medicines mentioned required for personal therapeutic use of immediate family members on the basis of no objection certificate issued by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
24-04-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Climate change worsening malaria
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pakistan's Ministry of National Health Services on Thursday warned that climate change was worsening the impact of malaria in the country amid over two million cases reported annually. On the occasion of World Malaria Day being observed on 25 April, WHO and Pakistan are calling on all stakeholders to urgently intensify efforts to contain the increasing threat to the country and the Region. "Malaria is a major global threat, and we are seeing firsthand how climate change is increasing both the risk and the cases in our country." Despite challenges, Pakistan is fully committed to end this disease. It is not just a health imperative - it is an investment in a healthier, more equitable, safer, and more prosperous future for every nation," said Pakistan's Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal. Under the international theme "Reinvest, reimagine, reignite," WHO is urging all stakeholders to join the Big Push to End Malaria and support Pakistan to ensure that the response is not jeopardized due to lack of resources. The catastrophic 2022 floods in Pakistan led to 6.6 million additional cases over the three-year period from 2022 to 2024 - including a peak of 2.7 million cases in 2023, compared to 399,097 cases in 2021. As a result, the malaria burden in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region surged with an estimated 10.2 million cases reported in 2023, a 137% increase compared to 2015. Despite challenges, significant progress has been made throughout the last decade in terms of prevention and treatment. In partnership with WHO and with funding support from the Global Fund to defeat HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, Pakistan screened over 11.4 million malaria suspects and provided treatment to 2 million confirmed malaria patients in 2014. In addition, 7.8 million insecticide treated nets were distributed across 22 high-malaria burden districts of the country, helping to reduce the number of cases from 2.7 million in 2023 to 2 million in 2024."WHO is proud to partner with Pakistan to continue saving lives by preventing and treating malaria." "We have proven that investing in malaria response saves lives, but we are also seeing how climate change is hampering progress, posing a threat not only for Pakistan, but also for the Region and the world." "We know how to end malaria, and we can do it if all stakeholders invest and work together to reinforce the response and adapt to the new risks triggered by climate change," said WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Dapeng Luo.
