National

Federal Health Minister Urges Action As Vaccination Refusals Hindering Polio Eradication

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has expressed serious concern over vaccine refusals, stating that nearly 43,000 parents in Sindh — 42,000 of them in Karachi alone —have refused polio vaccination for their children, posing a major obstacle to the eradication efforts. He made these remarks while visiting the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre for Polio (EOC) in Sindh to assess…

High Temperatures, Extreme Rainfall Threaten Child Growth In Pakistan: Study

ISLAMABAD: Prolonged exposure to high temperatures and extreme precipitation for the last one and a half decades is worsening malnutrition among children under the age of two in Pakistan, leading to increased stunting and wasting, a recent study revealed. Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research highlights…

Child Waste-pickers

A SIGNIFICANT number of children in Pakistan participate in waste-picking for economic…

Abandoned Daughters

Beyond policy measures, there must be a fundamental shift in how daughters…

TVET Market Is Tough

TECHNICAL and vocational education and training (TVET) is a tough market to untangle. No wonder we are still struggling with it. But given where we are as an economy, we cannot afford to dillydally for long. We currently provide technical training to very few young people in our country. This…

New Textbooks For Grade 1 To 5 To Be Delivered In Two Weeks

ISLAMABAD: The supply of newly developed textbooks for grade 1 to 5 will be completed within two weeks , says the education ministry. “These cutting-edge textbooks are designed to transform the classroom experience with interactive content, student-centeric learning activities, and a strong emphasis on developing 21st-century skills, says a press…

Fearing Birth

AMID dramatic aid cuts, the WHO has sounded the alarm about the dangers to Pakistan’s mothers and newborns, asking global and national associates to help lower its maternal and neonatal mortalities without delay. To prevent another bleak phase — in 2020, a UN progress report said that Pakistan ranked third…

Every Day, 675 Newborns, 27 Mothers Die In Pakistan

ISLAMABAD/UNITED NATIONS: Around 675 babies under one month of age and 27 mothers die every day in Pakistan from preventable complications—amounting to over 246,000 newborn and nearly 11,000 maternal deaths annually, alarming statistics by United Nations and World Health Organization (WHO) reveal. On the occasion of World Health Day 2025,…

Local Production Of Iron, Folic Acid Supplements May Curb Anaemia In 15m Pakistani Girls

ISLAMABAD: The local production of Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFAS) in adolescent doses could prevent around 15 million adolescent girls in Pakistan from suffering from iron deficiency anemia as ensuring sustainable access to these supplements could significantly reduce costs and lessen reliance on expensive imports, according to officials…

Maryam Launches Initiative For Students With Autism In Punjab

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced significant initiatives for children with autism, including establishment of autism centres in 27 divisional public schools across the province. These centres aim to provide specialised education, training and rehabilitation for children with autism. Extending Eid greetings to children with autism on…

TCF Set To Bring AI-powered Learning To Teachers With Khanmigo

The Citizens Foundation (TCF) and Khan Academy Pakistan have announced an innovative AI-powered collaboration to support teachers and enhance classroom learning in selected TCF schools. This pilot initiative aims to empower teachers by enhancing teachers’ lesson delivery, fostering critical thinking, and improving classroom engagement for students in Grades 6-8. Under…

Autism On The Rise Among Children In Pakistan: Experts

ISLAMABAD: While consolidated data on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unavailable, there is a noticeable increase in the number of children being diagnosed with the disease. Health experts claimed this during an event held in connection with World Autism Day at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad. The day is observed…

Classroom Reflections

IN the quiet moments between lessons, standing before my students, I am struck by the profound disconnect between what education could be and what it has become in Pakistan. The world is constantly evolving. Today, our survival as a species depends on education systems that prepare minds to tackle the…

SRH At School

A FRIEND once received a panic call from a mother just as I was heading out to give a talk to middle-school students on growing up. As a paediatrician who deals with adolescent medicine, I give talks at schools to students about puberty — what changes occur physically, emotionally, and…