Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Sindh to launches HPV vaccination drive against Cervical Cancer

Sindh

KARACHI: The Sindh Health Department has announced a vaccination campaign to protect young girls from cervical cancer. Provincial Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho said the initiative aims to safeguard girls against cervical cancer through the administration of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. According to the minister, the vaccination campaign will run from September 15 … Read more

Indus Hospital launches state-of-the-art emergency facility  

Indus Hospital

KARACHI: Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) proudly inaugurated the state-of-the-art Emergency Department at its Korangi’s new hospital building.

The inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony was graced by Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Provincial Minister for Health and Population Welfare, Sindh, alongside distinguished guests and esteemed donors.

The event marked the first step of the first phase of Pakistan’s largest free-of-cost private sector hospital, setting a new benchmark in delivering world-class healthcare to underserved communities.

Abdul Karim Paracha, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, President of IHHN; Prof Syed Zafar Zaidi, CEO of IHHN;  Salim Razak Tabani and others warmly received the Provincial Minister and accompanying dignitaries.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, along with senior leadership, toured the newly inaugurated facility. The Emergency Department is equipped with cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to cater to diverse patient needs.

Key features include dedicated resuscitation bays for critical emergencies, separate halls for adult and pediatric patients to ensure specialized care, and fast-track clinics aimed at managing non-critical cases efficiently. These enhancements reaffirm IHHN’s unwavering commitment to delivering accessible, equitable, and high-quality healthcare services to all.

The formal ceremony commenced with a welcome address by Prof. Syed Zafar Zaidi, who highlighted the pivotal role of the Korangi Campus’s expansion in transforming healthcare in Pakistan. Addressing the audience, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho expressed her admiration for IHHN’s unwavering dedication to serving those in need, emphasizing the significance of this milestone for the healthcare landscape of Sindh and Pakistan.

Special acknowledgment was given to Zuleikhabai V. M. Gany Rangoonwala (ZVMG) Rangoonwala Trust and Amreli Steels, whose generous contributions made the new emergency facility a reality.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Abdul Bari Khan underscored the vision behind IHHN’s expansion, emphasizing the collective effort needed to sustain and further such initiatives.

The event was also attended by senior leadership of IHHN, and other distinguished guests.

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Pak, Chinese institutions decide to promote Chinese medicine

Chinese
  • Institutions are planning to carry out space breeding.
  • 4-member Pakistani delegation just arrived back from China.
  • Sindh will provide all-out support for meaningful outcomes.

KARACHI: Chinese and Pakistani institutions have decided to further strengthen the cooperation in the field of nutrition, health, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to safeguard the health of Chinese and Pakistani people.

Ningbo University, China, and Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD) at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, are planning to carry out space breeding and quality evaluation of medicinal plants and key food crops.

Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Director of the ICCBS, and COMSTECH Coordinator-General expressed these views while presiding over a meeting held at the H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi on Wednesday.

He informed the meeting that a four-member Pakistani delegation led by Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho just arrived back after having a 12-day visit to China.

“I and two other scholars of the ICCBS were also part of that delegation,” he maintained

The delegation also participated in health dialogues with Chinese health departments, hospitals, institutions, and enterprises for more possibilities in cooperation between China and Pakistan in the fields of health, medicine, and so on, he said.

Dr. Azra has assured the Chinese counterparts and institutions that the Government of Sindh will provide all-out support for the meaningful outcomes of all collaborative projects, Prof. Choudhary informed the meeting and added that she had proposed to initiate a joint project for the R&D and production of complementary food for mothers and child health in Sindh province.

She also proposed to have institutional linkages between the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Beijing, and Sindh’s premier research institution the ICCBS.

Ningbo University and Karachi University plan to carry out space breeding and quality evaluation of medicinal materials and key food crops, Prof. Choudhary said.

Focusing on food and drug homologous substances, the two sides will jointly develop nutrition and health products suitable for pregnant and lactating women and infants in Pakistan, and market them by Pakistani laws and regulations, he added.

During the visit to the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the delegation showed great interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), he said, adding that both sides exchanged ideas and information on topics including talent exchange, construction of the TCM teaching system, clinical research, compilation of China-Pakistan herbal books.

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Sindh Health Minister rejects changes in draft of Breastfeeding Law

Sindh Health Minister rejects changes in draft of Breastfeeding Law
  • Children up to 36 months will be considered formula milk.
  • Infants should be given formula milk only on doctor’s prescription.
  • Sindh Cabinet approved amendment in Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding.

KARACHI: Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho has rejected changes in the draft Breastfeeding Law and said that formula milk will only be sold at medical stores.

The Health Minister has said that the amendments proposed in the Protection and Promotion of Breastfeeding and Young Child Nutrition Act, 2023 are standing by.

The meeting between the representatives of the baby food industry and the health minister a few days ago was inconclusive.

According to the amendment in the law, the milk of children up to 36 months will be considered formula milk. Infants should be given formula milk only on the doctor’s prescription.

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Health Minister Sindh reviews preparedness of anti-polio drive

Health Minister
  • Last year there were 20 cases of wild polio reported in KP.
  • There have been no cases of Polio since 2021 in Sindh.
  • Tracking of missed children should be continued.

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho held a meeting with DCs and DHOs of Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Mirpurkhas Division through an online meeting video link to reviews preparedness of anti-polio campaign.

Last year there were 20 cases of wild polio all reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. In Sindh, there have been no cases of Polio since 2021 and the last reported case of Polio in Sindh was on the 14th of July, 2020. There was one environmental sample found in Karachi in all of 2022, and that was in Malir-Landhi, at Bakhtawar Goth.

For the 2023 readiness plan, there has been a quality assessment that achieved a 92 percent score at Khairpur, Sukkur, Kashmore, Larkana, and Umerkot. Supervisory trainings were completed in all 14 districts and 92 percent of team training was also completed. Districts also received logistics items and vaccines were distributed to divisional stores.

There were also special guidelines for consideration in the National Immunisation Days in 2023 that include special monitoring and supervision of riverine and desert areas. There needs to be the facilitation of teams and supervisors to reach the displaced population that is still surrounded by flood water.

In addition, it should be ensured that 100 percent of the mapping is completed that covers IDP, HRMP, and Agricultural Laborers and also that it identifies seasonally migrating populations and their vaccination status.

Post-campaign planning and tracking of missed children should be continued and it should be recorded with standardized finger marking using the specific ink that is used province-wide for polio vaccination.

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Sindh Health Minister warns significant increase in COVID-19 cases

Health

Provincial Minister of Sindh for Health Azra Fazal Pechuho has said that the novel coronavirus testing capacity has increased, the government is doing Corona test for free. In a recent interview, Azra Fazal Pechuho said, Private hospitals are charging Corona testing fee up to Rs 8,000, while the Sindh government is conducting the test for … Read more