Health & Education Archives - Page 3 of 16

SHCC probes alleged medical negligence in private hospital of Karachi

September 2, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

KARACHI: The Sindh Healthcare Commission has launched an investigation into an alleged case involving a private hospital in Karachi’s Nazimabad area where a woman was reportedly subjected to a cesarean section despite not being pregnant.

According the CCTV footage showing the woman visiting the private hospital for medical examinations before the reported surgery.

According to the footage, the woman visited the hospital several times for medical checkups, accompanied by her husband. The case has raised questions about how hospital staff allegedly failed to determine that she was not pregnant despite repeated examinations.

The woman reportedly visited the hospital on Aug. 18 for a medical examination. She was also called to the hospital several times last month before the operation.

The CCTV footage has raised further questions about the hospital administration and medical staff, including whether appropriate diagnostic examinations were conducted before the alleged C-section.

The Sindh Healthcare Commission has begun investigating the matter to determine what happened and whether any medical or administrative negligence was involved.

China’s lung cancer deaths could reach 760,000 by 2030, study finds

September 1, 2026 by World Desk

A new study has projected that deaths from lung cancer in China could reach 760,000 annually by 2030, driven largely by population growth and the country’s rapidly aging population.

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in China. Researchers said the overall number of deaths is likely to continue rising despite a decline in age-standardized mortality rates.

Chinese researchers analyzed nationwide mortality data covering cancer and other causes between 2013 and 2021. The study included data from 605 surveillance centers, representing about 2.37 billion person-years of observation.

Researchers used several statistical methods to examine changes in lung cancer mortality and identify factors contributing to the disease burden. A person-year is a unit used to measure the amount of time people are observed in a study.

Smoking continues to be a major risk factor for lung cancer in China. Data from 2018 showed that about 26.6% of adults smoked cigarettes, while many nonsmokers were also exposed to secondhand smoke.

Air pollution and the effects of industrial development may also contribute to the overall burden of lung cancer, researchers said.

The study highlighted an important trend: although lung cancer mortality rates adjusted for age are declining, the total number of deaths could still increase as China’s population grows and the proportion of older people rises.

Researchers said public health planning should therefore address both preventable risk factors, particularly smoking and exposure to air pollution, and the growing impact of an aging population.

They emphasized that reducing tobacco use and other risk factors, alongside preparing health systems for an increasingly elderly population, will be essential to tackling China’s future lung cancer burden.

Smoke inhalation blamed for newborn deaths in PIMS nursery fire

August 28, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

ISLAMABAD: Newborns who died in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences died from inhaling smoke and soot rather than from burns, PIMS Executive Director Rana Imran Sikandar said Friday.

Sikandar said the identities of the deceased infants were confirmed through identification tags on their wrists. He said the tags remained intact, making DNA testing unnecessary. DNA tests would have been required if the bodies had been unidentifiable, he said.

According to PIMS officials, 15 newborns were in the nursery when the fire broke out, while one infant was rescued. Hospital staff attempted to enter the nursery to save the babies, but the ceiling collapsed after an explosion, officials said.

Some relatives had expressed concerns over the identification of the deceased infants without DNA testing.

A day earlier, Dr. Shazia Sobia, a member of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health, said she learned during a visit to PIMS that 40 to 50 babies, rather than 15, may have been present in the nursery. She questioned how the infants were handed over to their families without DNA testing.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate have called for a transparent investigation into the deaths of 14 newborns in a fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, approving motions to form special parliamentary committees to investigate the incident.

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal assured lawmakers that no one responsible for the tragedy would be spared. He said all relevant officials would be held accountable and urged lawmakers not to intervene to protect officials facing disciplinary action.

Kamal also called on the opposition to provide guidance and a clear roadmap rather than limiting the response to dates and committee formations. He said practical solutions were needed to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said an investigation committee would submit its initial report to the prime minister on Friday, while a detailed report would be prepared within seven days. He said necessary action would be taken after the findings and urged lawmakers to offer concrete recommendations instead of politicizing the tragedy.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sen. Pervez Rashid proposed that senior government officials receive medical treatment at public hospitals. He said forming inquiry committees and issuing punishments alone would not improve the health care system.

Instead, he suggested that everyone drawing a government salary, including the president, prime minister, bureaucracy and judiciary, should use public hospitals to encourage improvements in those facilities.

Former National Assembly speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf said innocent children had died because of possible negligence and demanded that the facts be made public.

The opposition expressed a lack of confidence in the government’s committee investigating the PIMS incident. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sen. Ali Zafar called for an inquiry committee headed by the opposition and demanded punishment for those responsible.

Senate opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas described the PIMS incident as “murder” rather than negligence and alleged that the victims’ parents had been pressured. He called for accountability and a full disclosure of the facts surrounding the deaths.

Health Committee raises serious questions over PIMS nursery fire

August 27, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Health has expressed dissatisfaction with explanations provided by Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) officials over the fire in the hospital’s neonatal nursery that killed newborns, calling for the suspension of doctors and staff on duty and advising Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal to consider resigning on moral grounds.

After visiting the hospital, committee Chairman Dr. Mahesh Kumar said officials initially claimed the fire had started from an air conditioner, but it later emerged that the unit was not functioning.

“Yesterday they said the fire started from the air conditioner. Today we learned that the AC was not even working,” Mahesh Kumar said, adding that CCTV footage had also failed to establish how the fire started.

He said the committee would conduct its own investigation and questioned why newborns were being kept in a nursery built in 1990. According to him, infants should have been accommodated in the nursery of the newer block.

Committee member Dr. Shazia Thobia said the visit revealed that the nursery had 40 to 50 babies at the time, rather than the 15 initially reported. She also questioned how children were handed over to relatives without DNA testing.

Former Islamabad advocate general Jahangir Jadoon said a full investigation into the incident would not be possible without establishing a judicial commission.

Meanwhile, the Senate Standing Committee on Health has decided to hold its meeting at PIMS on Monday and invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senators to attend.

PIMS Forms Four-Member Inquiry Committee

PIMS Executive Director has declined to resign on moral grounds, while the hospital administration has formed a four-member committee headed by Professor Dr. Atif Inam to investigate the fire.

The committee has been given 48 hours to submit its report. It will determine the cause of the fire, review fire-safety measures, assess the effectiveness and response time of the rescue operation, and identify those responsible while recommending disciplinary action.

PIMS Deputy Executive Director Dr. Aneesa Jalil is also a member of the committee. She recorded her statement before the prime minister’s inquiry committee earlier Thursday and also signed the notification establishing the hospital’s internal inquiry committee.

Prime Minister’s Committee Seeks Written Statements

Separately, the inquiry committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sought written statements from staff members of the Children’s Hospital nursery.

Sources said the committee took possession of the nursery’s CCTV record and questioned staff members. It also reviewed the footage and compared it with the hospital administration’s account of how the fire started.

The committee also questioned PIMS health management officials. Hospital administration submitted the duty roster of staff present on Aug. 26, while the fire brigade and emergency department provided their reports.

Four officials, including the joint executive director of PIMS, submitted written statements to the committee.

The prime minister’s inquiry committee is expected to submit an interim report within 48 hours.

Mustafa Kamal offers himself for accountability over PIMS tragedy

August 26, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said Wednesday that he had offered himself for accountability over the PIMS hospital tragedy and that anyone found responsible for negligence would not be spared.

Speaking to reporters outside the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Kamal said he had first presented himself before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for accountability.

“The prime minister is my boss. Whatever decision he makes, I will accept it,” Kamal said when asked whether he would resign over the incident.

Kamal said a security guard had been deployed around the clock at another entrance because newborns had previously been stolen through that door. He added that a guard was also stationed along the evacuation route.

The minister said CCTV footage showed a spark near an air conditioner at 6:38 a.m., followed by people running from the area at 6:39 a.m.

“Nothing will be hidden. The evidence will come out,” Kamal said, adding that an investigation into the incident was underway and an inquiry report was expected within two to three days.

He said anyone found to have failed to perform their duties would be held accountable. Kamal added that he had traveled directly from the airport to the hospital and would meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after leaving PIMS.

On the other hand, an initial report prepared by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said newborns who died in a nursery fire were killed by oxygen failure and severe burns.

According to the report, a nebulizer attached to an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit exploded, causing the oxygen to catch fire.

The report said the fire generated smoke that entered the babies’ airways through the pipes. The newborns died after their oxygen supply was disrupted and they suffered burns.

The report said the fire initially appeared limited but spread rapidly.

According to a statement issued by PIMS, the fire broke out at 6:38 a.m. Wednesday after a spark inside the nursery quickly developed into an intense blaze. Oxygen points connected to the incubators caused the fire to intensify suddenly.

Two doctors and two nurses began rescue efforts, while security personnel also joined the operation. Hospital staff attempted twice to enter the nursery to rescue the babies, the statement said.

PIMS said an explosion occurred at 6:39 a.m., causing parts of the ceiling to collapse. Four babies were safely evacuated from a room adjacent to the nursery, while three mothers were moved to a safe location. The hospital said 73 patients from the gynecology ward on the same floor were also evacuated within minutes.

Hospital officials said staff used 35 fire extinguishers installed at PIMS to control the blaze and that all emergency exits were open and operational.

PIMS expressed condolences to the families of the newborns who died in the incident.

Fire at Islamabad’s PIMS Hospital kills 15 newborns

August 26, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

ISLAMABAD: A fire in the nursery of the gynecology ward at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad killed 15 newborns Wednesday, according to hospital and rescue officials.

Rescue officials said the fire broke out at about 6:45 a.m. after an air conditioner compressor reportedly exploded. The blaze was brought under control, while cooling operations continued.

Hospital authorities said 16 babies were in the nursery when the fire started. A female doctor managed to rescue one child, while 15 others died. District administration officials said the fire broke out on the third floor of the hospital’s Mother and Child Health ward.

Six fire engines and four ambulances took part in the rescue operation, officials said. The administration formed an eight-member inquiry committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner to determine the cause of the fire.

The committee includes senior officials from emergency services, police, the Capital Development Authority, Islamabad’s administration, IESCO and PIMS, and was ordered to submit its report within 24 hours.

Parents of the victims alleged that no doctor or other medical staff was present inside the nursery when the fire started. Some also claimed that the neonatal intensive care unit door was locked and questioned the circumstances surrounding their children’s deaths.

One parent alleged that rescue teams arrived late and said families attempted to save the babies themselves. The parents demanded DNA testing to identify the bodies and called for action against hospital officials.

The allegations have not been independently verified.

PM Orders Immediate Investigation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the deaths and ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. He directed authorities to determine the cause of the fire, identify those responsible and take strict action if negligence was established.

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said 14 deaths had initially been confirmed and that senior health officials were at the hospital. He said any negligence would be investigated and those responsible would face action, adding that he too would be held accountable if he was found at fault.

Conflicting accounts over cause of fire

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said after visiting PIMS that the fire was caused by a short circuit and spread because of a gas line and plastic equipment. He said most of the deaths appeared to have resulted from smoke inhalation and that the oxygen supply also contributed to the spread of the fire.

Chaudhry said doctors, nurses and other staff were present when the incident occurred and remained safe.

The conflicting accounts over the cause of the fire are expected to be examined by the inquiry committee.

Eating nuts daily may help lower high blood pressure risk

August 24, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

KARACHI: Eating nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios every day may help reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, according to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Researchers analyzed data from eight studies involving more than 143,000 people between the ages of 18 and 87. More than 20,000 participants had been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

The researchers examined how dietary habits affected the risk of developing hypertension and found that regular nut consumption was associated with a lower risk.

The study found that eating nuts regularly could reduce the risk of high blood pressure by up to 16%. Consuming about 28 grams of nuts was associated with a reduction of up to 20%, while eating around 30 grams daily was linked to a reduction of up to 26%.

However, eating larger quantities did not appear to provide additional benefits in reducing the risk of high blood pressure.

Why nuts may help

Nuts contain fiber, healthy fats, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, vitamins C and K, protein and several B vitamins, researchers said.

Magnesium may help relax blood vessels, potentially contributing to healthier blood pressure levels, while potassium also plays a role in maintaining normal blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure occurs when the force of blood against artery walls remains consistently elevated. Narrowed blood vessels can restrict blood flow and increase pressure.

Often described as a “silent killer,” hypertension may cause no obvious symptoms but can damage the heart, brain, eyes, kidneys and blood vessels over time.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Early diagnosis, medication when prescribed and healthy lifestyle changes can help manage the condition.

Federal Urdu University announces alumni association at first reunion

August 22, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

KARACHI: The Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology held its first alumni gathering and dinner, bringing together former students, faculty members, Senate representatives and other distinguished guests.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari said alumni are among the most valuable assets of any university and serve as ambassadors of their alma mater.

He said the relationship between graduates and their university does not end with the completion of a degree but continues throughout their lives. A strong and active alumni network can play an important role in strengthening that connection, he added.

Shinwari announced the establishment of an alumni association to provide former students with an organized platform. Chapters of the association will also be established at the university’s various campuses.

Guest of honor Saeedullah Wala welcomed the initiative and said alumni are an important part of an educational institution’s identity and a valuable resource. He urged graduates to share their achievements and experiences with current students and contribute to the university’s reputation and development.

The office-bearers of the alumni association were also announced after consultation with participants. Mufti Nauman Naeem was named president, Dr. Shakeel vice president, Mubashir Naeem general secretary, Dr. Didar Ali joint secretary, Saleha Advocate deputy joint secretary, Muaz Liaquat finance secretary, Faryal Ahsan deputy finance secretary and Rana Javed press secretary.

Imran Khan expresses serious health concerns, says sister

August 21, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

ISLAMABAD: Dr Uzma Khan, sister of former Pakistani prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan, said Friday that he had expressed serious concerns about his health and claimed that his complaints were not being heard.

Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad, Uzma said she was taken from Adiala Jail to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) hospital on Thursday night, where she found Imran already present.

She said the family had expected Imran to be transferred from PIMS to Shifa International Hospital, but he was instead taken back to Adiala Jail early Friday.

Uzma alleged that Imran had developed anxiety because of prolonged solitary confinement and had been experiencing persistent blood pressure problems. She also claimed that his concerns were being ignored and that no one was being allowed to approach him.

Imran’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, said he had reached Shifa International Hospital from Adiala Jail and waited for about three hours. He said he was informed at around 4:30 a.m. that Imran would not be brought to Shifa and had already been transferred from PIMS back to Adiala Jail.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi criticized the government’s handling of the matter, saying Imran was a former prime minister and questioning what such treatment meant for ordinary citizens.

The Supreme Court had ordered that Imran be transferred to Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination. The government instead took him to PIMS, where doctors examined him before he was returned to Adiala Jail.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X that Imran was taken to hospital overnight on Aug. 20-21 under security arrangements and was examined by qualified specialists, including an ophthalmologist, cardiologist and physician.

Tarar said security concerns caused by PTI supporters outside and along the route to Shifa led authorities to take Imran to PIMS, where doctors from Shifa were also present.