Latest news with #Sufian
Borneo Post
20 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Limbang District Council to develop 18 new tourist spots in next five years
Sufian (seated, third left) and committee members in a photocall after the press conference on the upcoming Santaba Jetty Festival. LIMBANG (Aug 20): The Limbang District Council (MDL) has identified 18 locations across the district to be developed as tourism attractions over the next five years, in a move aimed at unlocking the region's potential as a travel destination. Council chairman Councillor Sufian Mohat said Limbang is blessed with natural and cultural assets that can appeal to both domestic and international visitors. 'In the next five years, we will focus on developing these 18 sites into attractive tourism spots. Work is already underway, and five of them have been officially recognised,' he told reporters during a press conference for the Santaba Jetty Festival at the MDL office today. The five recognised sites are Tasik Bukit Mas, Santaba Jetty, Lumpur Bebuak, Limbang Recreation Area, and Inap Desa Alai Gayo. Sufian also highlighted MDL's efforts to boost visibility through signature events, noting that Bukit Mas Day, Lumpur Bebuak Festival, and the Santaba Jetty Festival have been listed in the Limbang Division Tourism Calendar, with two of them also featured in the Sarawak Tourism Calendar. Turning to the upcoming Santaba Jetty Festival, he described it as a showcase of the district's scenic charm and cultural vibrancy. 'We are targeting a crowd of 5,000 visitors for this year's festival, which will take place on Aug 23 to 24 at Kampung Patiambun,' he said. The festival will feature a mix of cultural activities, traditional sports, and exhibitions, aimed at encouraging community involvement and fostering unity among residents. 'It can also promote local tourism by highlighting the beauty and uniqueness of Santaba Jetty, while preserving and introducing our cultural heritage with the outside community and younger generation,' Sufian added. Among the highlights of the two-day event are tug-of-war competitions, a decorated boat parade, and traditional sports and performances by the Bermukun and Kedayan communities. Limbang District Council Santaba Jetty Festival tourist spots
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Antibiotic resistance: a plague of our own making
Muhammad Sufian, 8, admitted to Benazir Children Hospital Mardan (BCHM) with a high-grade fever, has taken different antibiotics for almost 24 days. 'Before admission to BCHM,' shares Sufian's father Aziz Ur Rehman. 'My son was treated by local medical practitioners in clinics situated in Lundkhawar area of Mardan district, and then by doctors at nearby hospitals. They all used a variety of antibiotics.' Sufian's medical history shows that the antibiotics administered to him include Cefixime and Augmentin that were given orally, while Ceftriaxone, Azithromycin, Grasil, and Mycacine were administered as injections. None of these could not develop positive response. According to Dr Abbas Ali Khan, a pediatrician at BCHM, a sample had been sent to the lab for a culture test, but since the result would take seven days, Meropenem injections were administered in the meantime which showed a positive response against the infection. Finally, Sufian's temperature began to drop. 'Based on previous culture test observations and clinical criteria, Cefoperazone – Sulbactam, Tanzo, and Meropenem injectable antibiotics are the remaining three weapons against infections in such resistant cases,' he says. Heath experts said that despite growing concerns over antimicrobial resistance (AMR), antibiotics are being offered to children without proper investigations and diagnosis in small clinics, and other medical facilities across Pakistan, and the situation is worsening day by day. According to the report of the American Society for Microbiology, Pakistan ranks 176th out of 204 nations in AMR-related mortality per 100,000 people. In 2019, the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance Project reported 59,200 deaths in Pakistan directly attributable to AMR, with an additional 221,300 deaths listed as being AMR-associated. AMR was therefore the third-leading cause of death for Pakistanis in 2019, behind cardiovascular disease and maternal/neonatal disorders. 'In the misuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics, parents, quacks, and even doctors are involved,' explains Dr Abbas Ali Khan. 'Parents know the names of some common antibiotics and without a qualified doctor's examination, get them from medical stores and without knowing the accurate strength and duration give them to their children who are sick. Quacks and non-qualified doctors, who run clinics in rural areas, also administer antibiotics without proper dosage to small children, and this is how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) develops among children.' He mentioned that qualified doctors follow all protocols during the treatment of children, which usually takes 3 to 4 days. However, for immediate recovery in high grade fever, parents often rush their children to other medical facilities, where antibiotics are prescribed unnecessarily due to their pressure, he added. 'We mostly receive children aged 5 to 10 years with high temperature, who have already been treated with antibiotics by parents, quacks, or doctors in peripheral hospitals, where there is no concept of culture testing,' shares Dr Khan. 'Culture tests conducted in the facility show that almost 90 percent children have developed resistance to various antibiotics, as the medicines were not administered to them properly.' According to health experts, antibiotics are given to children even for viral infections such as sore throats, colds, coughs, fever, flu, and condition of mild diarrhea, where antibiotics do not provide any benefit. They shared that nowadays the resistance to different antibiotics is observed in enteric fever, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections, and gastroenteritis. Recent findings by Aga Khan University, in Karachi, show that Pakistan has witnessed one of the world's largest outbreaks of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid, which began in Hyderabad in 2016. By 2018, over 5,000 confirmed XDR Salmonella Typhi cases had been reported, nearly 70 percent of them in Karachi. 'In Pakistan, this silent epidemic is taking a firm grip, especially among children who are our youngest and most vulnerable,' says Dr Imran Nasir, Associate Professor at Aga Khan University, Karachi. 'Hospitals across the country are seeing an alarming surge in antibiotic resistance, much of it stemming from the widespread and often reckless use of antibiotics.' He explained that due to weak diagnostic capacity, with many clinics lacking access to timely lab tests, doctors often prescribe antibiotics with a 'just in case,' approach, rather than based on confirmed diagnosis of bacterial infections. Another contributing factor, he added, is poor antibiotic stewardship. 'According to a multi-centre study, most Pakistani hospitals lack clear guidelines on rational antibiotic use, and few have formal stewardship programs in place,' explains Dr Nasir. 'There are prevailing misconceptions even among some in the physician community, who believe antibiotics are effective against viral infections or fear losing patients' trust if they don't prescribe something strong. The unnecessary use of antibiotics may offer short-term relief but carries long-term consequences.' He added that overexposure to antibiotics disrupts the gut microbiome, which plays a critical role in immune development. 'This leaves children more vulnerable to future infections, allergies, and even obesity,'says Dr Nasir. 'Moreover, it increases the risk that bacteria in a child's body will become resistant, turning minor infections into life-threatening ones,' he explains. He said that in Pakistan stronger stewardship, tighter regulations, better diagnostics and public awareness are urgently needed. Until then, antibiotics will continue to be handed out like candy, and the bacteria will keep getting stronger and smarter, he warned. To combat antimicrobial resistance, under the AMR National Action Plan 2.0, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has established an AMR secretariat and has notified a provincial surveillance committee, and a technical working group, shared Dr Musawir Manzoor, a surveillance officer at Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System (IDSRS), KP health department. He added that for the awareness among local community the department has conducted awareness activities across the province during the AMR week last year in November. Dr Shafa Haidar, Director of Registration at the KP Health Care Commission (KPHCC), shared that besides licensing health facilities, regulating pharmacies and rising public awareness, the commission is also combating against quackery, a major contributor to AMR. She added that the KPHCC conducted raids and took legal action against quacks and illegal healthcare facilities to dismantle practices that contribute to antimicrobial resistance. The Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) project suggests that bacterial antimicrobial resistance will cause 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050 globally – equating to three deaths every minute. The study forecasts a 67.5 percent increase in annual deaths directly attributed to bacterial AMR, rising from 1.14 million in 2021 to an estimated 1.91 million in 2050. Deaths associated with AMR are also expected to increase by 74.5 percent, from 4.71 million in 2021, to 8.22 million deaths in 2050. From rural clinics to urban hospitals, antimicrobial resistance is eroding treatment options, turning routine infections into life-or-death battles. If left unchecked, Pakistan's overreliance on antibiotics will continue to shrink the arsenal of drugs that can save lives, leaving doctors with fewer — and often more toxic — options. The battle against antimicrobial resistance is not only a medical challenge but also a social one, demanding stricter regulations, better diagnostics, and a cultural shift in how we perceive antibiotics. Every unnecessary prescription, every self-medicated dose, is another step towards a future where common childhood infections become untreatable. Protecting our children means acting now — before the medicines we trust become relics of the past. Abdur Razzaq is a Peshawar-based multimedia journalist. He tweets @TheAbdurRazzaq All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the writer
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Time of India
Five forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan's Kech and Gwadar
Five forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan (Image credits: ANI) BALOCHISTAN: At least five men have reportedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistsecurity forces during a series of raids in Balochistan's Kech and Gwadar districts, The Balochistan Post reported. These incidents intensify concerns over the growing pattern of enforced disappearances in the region. In the Kech district, The Balochistan Post reported that on the afternoon of July 2, a man identified as Sufian, son of Ghulam Rasool Sufi, was detained in the Singani Sar area of Turbat. Security personnel allegedly transferred him to an undisclosed location. His whereabouts remain unknown, and no charges have been filed against him. In another case, another man named Muslim, son of Tariq, was allegedly abducted from his home in the Malikabad area of Tump at approximately 1.30 am on July 3. According to his family, the raid was conducted by a combination of uniformed and plainclothes personnel. His location also remains unknown, The Balochistan Post reported. Meanwhile, in Gwadar city, two brothers, Usama and Sadaqat, sons of Haji Ayub, were reportedly taken into custody by security forces while inside a local shop around 8m on Saturday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 21st Century Skills Start with Confident Communication Planet Spark Learn More Undo Eyewitnesses told The Balochistan Post that the brothers were forced into a vehicle and driven away. No further information has been provided to the family since their disappearance. In Jiwani, a town in Gwadar district, Syed Mohammad Shaho was previously detained by security forces, briefly released, and then forcibly disappeared again four days ago. His family says they have received no updates regarding his condition or location. Enforced disappearances remain a persistent issue in Balochistan, with hundreds of cases reported every year. Human rights groups and local activists continue to call on the Pakistani government to end the practice and ensure accountability. Victims' families have demanded immediate and unconditional release of their loved ones.
New Straits Times
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Heavy vehicle speed limiters vulnerable to tampering, say industry insiders
KUALA LUMPUR: Transport and automotive industry insiders say speed limiters, a standard requirement in new heavy vehicles, can be tampered with by trained technicians. As such, a broader focus on safety features is needed to put the brakes on crashes involving heavy vehicles. A technician working at a bus manufacturing company said speed limiters on modern vehicles are pre-programmed in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which is linked to sensors that detect the speed of the vehicle. Sufian (not his real name) said that former service centre mechanics might retain the software needed to modify or deactivate the limiter and offer its use in private workshops. As such, he said, global position systems (GPS) play a vital role. GPS are usually integrated with speed limiter functions and is mandatory in new vehicles registering with the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad). "While you can tamper with speed limiters and you wouldn't be able to know a vehicle's speed, it is not so with a built-in GPS system," he said. Sufian said GPS and its speed limiter is linked to a monitoring system, which alerts the bus operator of violations and records them. MAN Truck and Bus Malaysia general manager Thayalan Subramaniam said the speed limiter for their vehicles, which is also pre-programmed inside the ECU, sets the default speed limit at 89kph for trucks and 100kph for buses, per regulations set by the authorities. He said MAN uses up-to-date diagnostic tools with security patches to protect against unauthorised changes. However, Thayalan said, system tampering can be detected only when the vehicle is inspected at its workshop. On Tuesday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government was drafting a policy that includes the mandatory use of speed limiters for heavy vehicles, as part of efforts to enhance road safety. He said the policy was being reviewed to ensure there were no loopholes or opportunities for manipulation once implemented. His statement came in the wake of the bus accident that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris students. Insiders said tyre pressure warning systems and retarder brakes should be prioritised for heavy vehicles, particularly as many older models without them are in use. Sufian said drivers should be more aware of these systems, many of which are standard features in newer vehicle models, and trained for them. He said while Apad requires one representative per operator to undergo its Industry Code of Practice safety training for heavy vehicles, there is uncertainty if that person then communicates the training to others at their company. Sufian said the bus in the Gerik crash, an old mid-range sightseeing bus, was not suited to daily long-range use and may lack advanced safety features. "In Genting Highlands, they no longer allow buses without a retarder brake to operate there because it would be extremely dangerous while going downhill," he added. Thayalan said newer vehicles should be equipped with at least an anti-lock braking system, electronic stability programme (ESP) and retarder braking for safe and efficient control. "ESP is crucial to prevent rollovers," he said. He added that vehicle body manufacturers should be required to carry out rollover tests during the approval process to ensure compliance with United Nations Economic Commission for Europe safety standards. "At MAN, we have introduced advanced driver assistance systems in our trucks and buses as standard. "These features will keep you very, very safe, and they are not expensive to install in a new vehicle." However, he added, retrofitting such systems on older buses could be problematic due to the nature of aftermarket products, their installation and calibration.
New Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Speed limiters in heavy vehicles can be tampered with, says industry insiders
Transport and automotive industry insiders say speed limiters, a standard requirement in new heavy vehicles, can be tampered with by trained technicians. As such, a broader focus on safety features is needed to put the brakes on crashes involving heavy vehicles. A technician working at a bus manufacturing company said speed limiters on modern vehicles are pre-programmed in the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which is linked to sensors that detect the speed of the vehicle. Sufian (not his real name) said that former service centre mechanics might retain the software needed to modify or deactivate the limiter and offer its use in private workshops. As such, he said, global position systems (GPS) play a vital role. GPS are usually integrated with speed limiter functions and is mandatory in new vehicles registering with the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad). "While you can tamper with speed limiters and you wouldn't be able to know a vehicle's speed, it is not so with a built-in GPS system," he said. Sufian said GPS and its speed limiter is linked to a monitoring system, which alerts the bus operator of violations and records them. MAN Truck and Bus Malaysia general manager Thayalan Subramaniam said the speed limiter for their vehicles, which is also pre-programmed inside the ECU, sets the default speed limit at 89kph for trucks and 100kph for buses, per regulations set by the authorities. He said MAN uses up-to-date diagnostic tools with security patches to protect against unauthorised changes. However, Thayalan said, system tampering can be detected only when the vehicle is inspected at its workshop. On Tuesday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government was drafting a policy that includes the mandatory use of speed limiters for heavy vehicles, as part of efforts to enhance road safety. He said the policy was being reviewed to ensure there were no loopholes or opportunities for manipulation once implemented. His statement came in the wake of the bus accident that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris students. Insiders said tyre pressure warning systems and retarder brakes should be prioritised for heavy vehicles, particularly as many older models without them are in use. Sufian said drivers should be more aware of these systems, many of which are standard features in newer vehicle models, and trained for them. He said while Apad requires one representative per operator to undergo its Industry Code of Practice safety training for heavy vehicles, there is uncertainty if that person then communicates the training to others at their company. Sufian said the bus in the Gerik crash, an old mid-range sightseeing bus, was not suited to daily long-range use and may lack advanced safety features. "In Genting Highlands, they no longer allow buses without a retarder brake to operate there because it would be extremely dangerous while going downhill," he added. Thayalan said newer vehicles should be equipped with at least an anti-lock braking system, electronic stability programme (ESP) and retarder braking for safe and efficient control. "ESP is crucial to prevent rollovers," he said. He added that vehicle body manufacturers should be required to carry out rollover tests during the approval process to ensure compliance with United Nations Economic Commission for Europe safety standards. "At MAN, we have introduced advanced driver assistance systems in our trucks and buses as standard. "These features will keep you very, very safe, and they are not expensive to install in a new vehicle." However, he added, retrofitting such systems on older buses could be problematic due to the nature of aftermarket products, their installation and calibration.
