7 August 2018 – Vaccination is a cost-effective method to improve the health status of a population and the EPI intends to prevent vaccine preventable diseases among 23-month-old children. However, immunization coverage remains low in the country and Pakistan continues to experience outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Investment in...

20 June 2018 – In a historical move, the Government of Pakistan has banned the sale of loose cigarette sticks with immediate effect. This landmark decision came through a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) Notification No SRO 415 (1)/2018, published on 3 April this year.  The Notification says that “No retail seller or any person shall sell, offer...

Dr Sana Hafeez receives nomination as WHO Global Champion for Assistive Technology from President of Pakistan Mr Mamnoon Hussain. WHO Pakistan22 May 2018 – 25-year old Pakistani doctor Sana Hafeez has been advocating for improved access to assistive technology ever since a tragic accident left her with a spinal cord injury which meant that she...

His Excellency Mr Mamnoon Hussain, President of Pakistan, Her Excellency, Mrs Saira Afzal Tarar, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Dr Zafar Mirza, Director of Department of Health Systems, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Sana Hafeez, first ever WHO Global Champion on Assistive Technology being...

Islamabad, 8 May 2018 – The first regional meeting on improving access to assistive technology is taking place from 8 to 10 May 2018 in Islamabad. The meeting is being hosted by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination and WHO. Chaired by Ms Saira Afzal Tarar, Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations...

Credit: WHO Pakistan/A. Zaidi22 March 2018 – At the health stocktake meeting that took place today in Lahore, Dr Jamshaid Ahmed, Head of the WHO Provincial Office in Punjab, expressed his appreciation for the remarkable progress made towards implementation of the Punjab Health Reforms Roadmap. “The journey of the Health Reforms Roadmap under the...

Islamabad, 2 March 2018 – The Government of Japan has announced today that they will be providing US$ 3.2 million for the procurement of equipment for the Regional Reference Laboratory for polio eradication, located in the National Institute of Health in Islamabad. With the procurement of state-of-the-art molecular-biology equipment including...

Dr Mohammad Assai Ardakani, WHO Representative in Pakistan22 February 2018 –The Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians has awarded lifelong membership of the Pakistan Academy to Dr Mohammad Assai Ardakani, WHO Representative in Pakistan, in recognition of his meritorious services in initiating the family practice programme in 12 model districts...

20 February 2018 – Findings of Pakistan's national nutrition survey 2012–2013 indicate that more than half of Pakistan’s population is anaemic. Anaemia reduces individuals’ well-being, causes fatigue and lethargy and impairs physical capacity and work performance. Moreover, anaemia during pregnancy increases the risk of death or illness in both mother...

Zahida Parveen receives the Polio Hero award from the Deputy Commissioner of Bahawalpur19 February 2018 – Ms Zahida Parveen, working as a lady health worker and polio vaccinator in Bahawalpur, Punjab province, received a Polio Hero award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for her outstanding participation in anti-polio...