Category: health

The province of Punjab is facing a growing public health challenge as an intense cold wave continues to sweep across the region, triggering a sharp rise in respiratory and viral illnesses. Lahore and other major cities are witnessing an unprecedented rush at public hospitals, where doctors report a continuous increase in patients suffering from super flu, influenza, viral infections, chest complications, pneumonia and high fever. A survey of patient flow at major government hospitals in Lahore reveals a troubling situation. Over the past 24 hours, more than 1,000 patients with…

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A new treatment might just be hope for many people living with chronic pain.   In a recent preclinical study, researchers discovered a way through gene therapy, to target pain centers in the brain without using opioids or risking addiction.   The results were published in the journal Nature and represent a major step forward in chronic pain treatment.   Chronic pain is quite a consistent feeling and nothing seems to numb it and while opioid drugs like morphine can help reduce pain, they affect many parts of the brain…

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So-called ‘iPad kids’ in this generation can be seen using gadgets at every nook or corner or even in their mother’s lap. Most parents believe, it is safer to accompany their kids with gadgets instead of leaving them alone to get hurt roaming around or disturbing them while they are coping with their daily tasks, but experts think the opposite. They inform that media consumption is prevalent today, and its impact on children depends on age, frequency, content, and context. Digital media has long been part of everyday life. According…

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A recent study has highlighted the intense impact of grief on individuals, demonstrating that the sorrow following the death of a loved one can significantly increase the risk of death over a decade. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, was conducted by researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark and followed 1,735 bereaved relatives for 10 years, revealing alarming statistics tied to the intensity of grief experienced, CNN reported. The researchers categorised participants into “low” and “high” grief symptom groups. Their findings showed that 26.5% of those with high…

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GENEVA: Five years ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO), on a Tuesday announced COVID-19 to be a global pandemic — a moment that shook the world and global leaders to the impending doom. The highest alarm of WHO was sounded five weeks earlier but the warning, excluding the word “pandemic”, was not given due attentions. At a press conference on March 11, 2020, the head of the United Nations’ health agency, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, finally said the worsening outbreak could be “characterised as a pandemic”. Only then did many countries grasp…

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Lab-grown meat, dairy, and sugar could be approved for sale in the UK within two years, as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) seeks to speed up the regulatory process, BBC reported. The move comes in response to concerns that British companies are losing ground to international competitors in the emerging sector. Currently, lab-grown food—produced from animal or plant cells in controlled environments—has been approved for human consumption in Singapore, the United States, and Israel. However, countries such as Italy and US states like Alabama and Florida have implemented bans. The FSA aims…

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ISLAMABAD: The National Institute of Health (NIH) issued a warning that Punjab, Balochistan, and northern Pakistan are at risk of a dengue outbreak following recent rainfall across the country. The advisory urges authorities and the public to take immediate preventive measures to curb mosquito breeding. According to the NIH advisory, dengue thrives in warm and humid conditions, making post-rainfall periods a high-risk for virus transmission. The institute warned that Pakistan recorded 28,427 dengue cases in 2024, a significant increase from the previous year, and further infections could rise if precautions…

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KARACHI: Pakistan reported its sixth polio case of the year on Saturday, confirmed by the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP), from Thatta district in Sindh. The National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Regional Reference Laboratory has verified the case, marking the fourth polio case from Sindh this year. Earlier, one case was reported from Punjab and another from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In total, 74 polio cases emerged across the country in 2024, with Balochistan accounting for 27, Sindh for 23, KP for 22, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad. Sponsored Content…

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ISTANBUL: Residing near airports with high aircraft noise could increase the risk of heart issues, including heart attacks and strokes, as per a new study led by University College London researchers. Detailed heart imaging data from 3,635 individuals living near four major airports in England was analysed by the study It was then compared with data from people in areas with lower aircraft noise levels. The risk, researchers found, was particularly true for those exposed to higher aircraft noise at night, likely due to factors such as disrupted sleep and…

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ISLAMABAD: Poliovirus continues to cripple children in Pakistan as another child was diagnosed with the crippling disease in Balochistan taking the national tally to 65. According to the officials, a one-and-a-half-year-old child was affected with poliovirus in Balochistan’s Killa Abdullah district. The latest case takes the total number of cases from the province to 27. Pakistan is one of the two polio-endemic countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, and the number of cases on a yearly basis had significantly dropped in the country, until the recent spike in cases.…

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