27 April 2025
27 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan is commemorating World Immunization Week, held annually from 24 to 30 April, with a renewed pledge to promote the lifesaving power of vaccines and protect millions of people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases. Since the creation of Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1978, millions of Pakistanis have been protected with lifesaving vaccines. Every year, Pakistan vaccinates over 7 million children with routine immunization doses, in addition to reaching 45 million children through multiple supplementary...
24 April 2025
24 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – On the occasion of World Malaria Day, observed on 25 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services are warning that climate change is worsening the impact of malaria in the country amid over 2 million cases reported annually. WHO and Pakistan are calling on all stakeholders to urgently intensify efforts to contain the increasing threat to the country and the Region. “Malaria is a major global threat, and we are seeing firsthand how climate change is increasing both the...
23 April 2025
23 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – From vaccination campaigns to disease surveillance, women are at the forefront of the fight against polio across Pakistan, defying challenges, overcoming social norms, building trust and protecting the most vulnerable children from this lifelong paralytic disease. They are leading the way to run the last mile and end the global threat of polio. They are people like Ayesha Raza, a polio survivor who earned global recognition in 2024 for her dedication to fight this deadly disease, Bakht Roza and Basmina – who reach nomadic children...
23 April 2025
23 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – “Children should complete their vaccinations, no matter where they live. To reach these locations, we travel on foot, often crossing fields. Sometimes we use a boat to cross rivers to ensure that no child misses a vaccination.” In the scorching heat of Ghazi Kot – a remote area of Muzaffargarh district – navigating the waters of the Indus River in a small boat, 24-year-old Laila Ashiq embarks with her vaccine carrier on a heroic mission to vaccinate every child and pregnant woman against preventable diseases,...
22 April 2025
21 April 2025, Karachi/Islamabad, Pakistan – “Engaging in debates on global health challenges and hearing diverse perspectives was eye-opening. I am truly grateful for an incredible experience at Model-WHO,” said Munir, one of the participants in the student-led simulation of the World Health Assembly (WHA) organized by Aga Khan University (AKU) in Karachi. The goal of the Model-WHO was to recreate a 2-day session and discuss priority topics to advance health for all – including universal health coverage, pandemic resilience and containment, climate and health response and gender health equity...
07 April 2025
7 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – On the occasion of World Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on international and national partners to urgently invest in reducing maternal and newborn deaths as a crucial necessity for the prosperity of Pakistan and the region. Every day, 675 babies under 1 month and 27 mothers die from preventable complications in Pakistan, amounting to over 9800 maternal and 246 300 newborn deaths each year. Pakistan also registers more than 190 000 stillbirths annually. Under the international theme “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”, WHO is reiterating...
03 April 2025
3 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – "Fatima is not just a health worker. She is an angel who brought light back into my life." The words are Maloka’s, a young mother from a remote village in Tharparkar, Sindh province, who lost her first child to neonatal tetanus. When Maloka became pregnant again, Fatima, a Lady Health Worker, vaccinated her against tetanus, ensuring that both the mother and newborn would be protected. Maloka’s story highlights how the Government of Pakistan, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), has transformed the prevention of maternal...
02 April 2025
2 April 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – “By integrating insights from the WHO Labour Care Guide into my teaching, I aim to empower midwifery students to make informed decisions that will positively impact the lives of women and families across Pakistan. This is vital in reducing maternal mortality rates,” says Saima. She is one of the health care providers and teachers trained by the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the Government of Pakistan, as part of a two-year project to improve health care for millions of Afghan refugees and...
01 April 2025
27 March 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – “It is my mission to eliminate tuberculosis in my area. I am thankful to WHO for providing me with a platform from which I can utilize my abilities to work for the welfare of my people.” Jalwa Ali works for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Pakistan, supporting the provision of services to people affected by tuberculosis (TB) at the Women & Children Hospital Rajjar Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Jalwa works on the frontlines visiting patients, raising awareness, gaining the trust of female patients and...
26 March 2025
26 March 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – On the occasion of World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Pakistan called on all partners to urgently invest in ending a deadly disease that affects over 686 000 people and causes 47 000 deaths annually in Pakistan. The country bears 73% of the tuberculosis burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and is the 5th most affected in the world. Under the theme "Yes, We Can End TB – Commit, Invest, Deliver”, WHO and Pakistan commemorated the day, observed on 24...
23 March 2025
23 March 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – During the first and second rounds of the Big Catch-Up immunization campaign, the World Health Organization (WHO) partnered with the Government of Pakistan to administer lifesaving vaccines to 2.8 million children who missed routine doses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or for any other reason. The second phase of the campaign concluded this week. Over 1.3 million children were vaccinated in February and March, building on the first round which, between October and December 2024, reached 1.5 million children. Over 358 000 of the children vaccinated...
20 March 2025
20 March 2025, Islamabad, Pakistan – Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Pakistan-Administered Kashmir (PAK) have achieved the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), taking Pakistan closer to interrupting the transmission of this life-threatening disease for mothers and newborns nationwide. The validations were confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) following a weeklong final review led by WHO and UNICEF at the request of the Federal Government. Around 80 per cent of Pakistan’s population (190 million people) now live in areas where the spread of neonatal tetanus remains under controlled limits...
03 March 2025
28 February 2025, Karachi/Islamabad, Pakistan – The elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) in Sindh province, recently validated by the World Health Organization (WHO), marks a crucial milestone towards interrupting transmission across Pakistan. Following its elimination in Punjab in 2016, 183 million Pakistanis from Sindh and Punjab (75% of the total population of Pakistan) now live in areas where the transmission of this life-threatening disease affecting newborns remains under controlled limits. This achievement is the result of a transformation led by the national and provincial governments, in partnership with WHO,...
15 December 2024
8 December 2024, Islamabad, Pakistan – Ahead of International Universal Health Coverage Day, celebrated annually on 12 December, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Pakistan Dr Dapeng Luo urged stakeholders and donors to strengthen their support for the Government of Pakistan as it seeks to expand universal health coverage (UHC), particularly for the most vulnerable populations. On 3 December, WHO hosted a dialogue bringing together Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, representatives from national authorities including the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, the...
16 October 2024
16 October 2024, Karachi, Pakistan – WHO, in collaboration with the Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), the Communicable Disease Control unit at the Department of Health, Sindh (CDC Sindh) and the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination’s Common Management Unit (CMU), organized a seminar on 3 October 2024 focusing on TB preventive treatment (TPT) during which the latest WHO guidance was discussed. TPT aims to reduce the global incidence of TB and WHO is supporting countries as they address local operational challenges. Fifty participants...
08 October 2024
“Together, we are taking a vital step towards combating malnutrition and ensuring a healthier future for our children" 25 September 2024, Islamabad, Pakistan – The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) have signed an agreement to work together to tackle malnutrition in Pakistan. The agreement was signed by BISP Secretary Amer Ali Ahmad and WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Pakistan Dr Luo Dapeng at BISP headquarters in Islamabad. The partnership aims to implement evidence-based interventions, provide lifesaving treatment to severely acute malnourished children with medical...
29 September 2024
25 September 2024, Islamabad – On 24 September, the World Health Organization signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). The agreement covers the management of 169 nutrition stabilization centres at district headquarter hospitals and a number of tehsil headquarter hospitals across the country and paves the way for WHO to support the Government of Pakistan in implementing evidence-based interventions, including the provision of life-saving treatment to over 75 000 severely acutely malnourished children with medical complications and the promotion of breastfeeding as a key strategy...
23 September 2024
23 September 2024 – To commemorate #WorldPatientSafetyDay2024, World Health Organization (WHO) Pakistan, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, organized an awareness raising walk and advocacy seminar to foster collective efforts to improve diagnosis. Representatives from WHO, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, the National Institute of Health, the private sector and academia participated in the walk carrying banners with the slogans #Improvingdiagnisisforpatientsafety, #Safehealthcarepractices and #Getitrightmakeitsafe! #WorldPatientSafetyDay2024 saw the launch of a new 6-month diploma course on patient safety in health care settings to help...
16 September 2024
15 September 2024, Pakistan – A landmark collaboration between the tuberculosis (TB) and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) programmes has started in the Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Following WHO Pakistan’s support for the supply of essential medicines and equipment to strengthen TB and RMNCAH services at the Women & Children Hospital Charsadda, two important research studies are being launched. The first aims to screen antenatal and postpartum women to assess TB prevalence; the second will assess the feasibility of stool testing for TB diagnosis among children...
27 August 2024
27 August 2024, Islamabad, Pakistan – The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (MoNHSR&C) convened the third meeting of the National Technical Working Group (TWG) on Healthy Ageing on 9 August 2024 in Islamabad. The TWG includes representatives from MoNHSR&C, federal and provincial social welfare departments, academia, the WHO and NGOs working on healthy ageing in Pakistan. The meeting was chaired by Dr Sofia Yunus, MoNHSR&C Deputy Director General, and joined by senior officials including Dr Maryam Sarfraz, Director of Programmes, Dr Malik Muhammad Safi, Senior Health Advisor, Dr...
24 August 2024
27 August, Islamabad, Pakistan – A 2-day workshop convened by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (MoNHSR&C) on 7–8 August 2024 at COMSTECH Islamabad brought together stakeholders to validate the preliminary findings of its bottleneck analysis (BNA) of family planning in Pakistan. WHO provided the Ministry with technical assistance to conduct the BNA exercise which aimed to identify challenges to, and guide policies and plans for improving population management. The 2-day workshop was facilitated by a WHO mission comprising of experts – Dr Petrus Steyn and Dr Moazzam Ali...
14 June 2023
Islamabad, June 14 2023 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Government of Pakistan's efforts to prepare for and respond to the public health impact of Tropical Cyclone Biparjoy, which is expected to hit parts of Pakistan today. WHO's Incident Management Support Team (IMST) has been activated to ensure coordination of all health activities on the ground by health cluster partners and federal and provincial health ministries, as well as mobilize resources for preparedness and response activities. Additionally, WHO has prepositioned essential emergency medicines in Sindh, including oral rehydration salts (ORS), aqua tabs, and essential medicine, to...
14 June 2023
14 June 2023 – Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing maternal and newborn mortality and ending preventable still births, in line with the strategic plan “Every Newborn: An Action Plan to End Preventable Deaths” and 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda following its hosting of a WHO technical mission to the country in June. In May 2023, an international conference on maternal and newborn health was held in Cape Town, South Africa, in May . The conference was attended by stakeholders from around the world, including a delegation from Pakistan, led by...
04 December 2022
The delegation was led by Chair of the Polio Oversight Board Dr Chris Elias, WHO Regional Director Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari and UNICEF Regional Director George Laryea-Adjei. “The last steps to ending polio are the toughest but eradication is within reach thanks to the hard work happening in Pakistan,” Dr Elias said. “During my 3-day visit, I was again impressed by the resolve of the government and community, especially frontline workers, to ensure polio is gone forever,” he added. “Reaching every child during the upcoming polio campaigns and strengthening the routine immunization system...
23 November 2022
An estimated 1.8 million children were vaccinated in Pakistan's flood-affected areas as measles outbreaks continue to threaten communities after the flooding 23 November 2022 – This summer, the devastating floods throughout Pakistan forced a large population to move into temporary settlements or camps. The unexpectedly high levels of flooding have had a significant adverse effect on health, particularly for children. Moreover, overcrowded and rudimentary shelters, broken health infrastructure and inadequate safe water and sanitation have compounded the risk of measles and rubella. Poor access to vaccination services and population displacement have contributed...
08 November 2022
Cairo/Islamabad, 8 November 2022: Over the past few weeks, flood waters have continued to recede in many flood-affected areas across Pakistan, but enormous volumes of persistent flood waters remain stagnant in many places. Around 8 million flood-affected people need health assistance, including the provision of essential medical supplies and access to essential health care. To date, just 9% of the US$ 81.5 million WHO requires to respond to this health crisis has been received. This critical funding enables WHO to ensure coordinated delivery of essential health care services, efficient management of severe...
28 September 2022
In the face of a devastating flood emergency in Pakistan, frontline vaccinators are bravely reaching out to communities with lifesaving health services. Islamabad, 26 September 2022 – Vaccinating children against life-threatening diseases amid a devastating flood crisis is daunting. Vaccinators in Sindh province have endured difficult journeys, navigating flooded villages and crossing broken bridges to reach children who have been exposed to a series of health outbreaks since the August flood. Their efforts have been challenged by the difficult conditions, as the flooded areas remain submerged in sea-like water. Vaccinators' work has been...
18 September 2022
18 September 2022, Rajanpur, Punjab – Zubaida's family, like thousands of others, built their shelter in Kot Mithan Rajanpur with a few sheets of cloth and whatever they could salvage from their flooded village home. Holding her children, Zubaida said she worries about her family as who are falling sick regularly as they couldn’t afford to pay for treatment; even if they manage to get hold of some money, it is not possible to get medicine as all roads are damaged”. “Our men have to guard their flooded homes as well as...
05 September 2022
Cairo/Islamabad, 5 September 2022 – We are following closely and with deep concern the humanitarian crisis currently facing the people of Pakistan as a result of devastating monsoon floods. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Pakistan, especially in the directly affected communities and including our own WHO staff and national partners who continue to work tirelessly to respond to the massive health needs, even while being personally impacted by this disaster. The current scale of damage and destruction due to the floods is like none seen before in Pakistan...
30 August 2022
Cairo – Islamabad, 30 August 2022 – As districts in Pakistan continue to be affected by massive monsoon rainfall and unprecedented levels of flooding, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns of significant public health threats facing affected populations, including the risk of further spread of water- and vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. The impact of the heavy monsoon rains, which began in mid-July 2022, is drastic, affecting 33 million people in 116 districts across the country, with 66 districts being hardest hit.
06 June 2022
5 June 2022 - Regional Director Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, during his recent visit to Pakistan, inaugurated a nutrition stabilization centre in Islamabad. The centre will provide treatment to severely acute malnourished children with complications as part of a network of WHO-supported state-of-the-art nutrition stabilization centres across the country.
27 November 2021
27 November 2021 – Pakistan is conducting a measles and rubella campaign to vaccinate more than 90 million children aged between 9 months and 15 years against the deadly measles and rubella viruses. The nationwide campaign is one of the largest in history in spite of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and aims to reach over 95% coverage. Oral polio vaccine will also be integrated in the campaign to vaccinate children under 5 to support polio eradication efforts in Pakistan. More than 386 000 health professionals, including 76 000 vaccinators and more than 143 000...
27 November 2021
27 November 2021, Islamabad – During a visit to Pakistan, WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari with Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, visited a fixed vaccination site and a school (outreach site) at Gulbahar Colony in Peshawar to witness a nationwide measles and rubella campaign. The campaign is the largest in Pakistan's history and aims to vaccinate 90 million children (9 months to less than15 years) in Pakistan from 15 to 27 November 2021. “I congratulate the Government of Pakistan for executing such a large...
31 August 2021
31 August 2021 – The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and Marie Stopes Society Pakistan has launched the “Sehat Sahulat Programme” – a pilot project for outdoor patient department health insurance in Islamabad Capital Territory. Under the pilot project, primary health care level outpatient services will be provided through general practitioners using the Essential Package of Health Services, including sexual and reproductive health and family planning services. WHO is providing technical and financial support for the implementation of the initiative through the...
31 August 2021
31 August 2021 – WHO, in collaboration with the Department of Health of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, conducted a training course (24–26 August) on gender-based violence for health workers, focusing on providing life-saving health care, psycho-social support, and referral pathways in the COVID-19 context. The training was attended by medical officers, head nurses and Lady Health Workers, and representatives of civil society organizations, UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund. "Pakistan needs a multisectoral approach to prevent and respond to violence against women. We need to put greater effort into providing comprehensive services,...
31 August 2021
31 August 2021 – The WHO country office in Pakistan has signed a collaborative agreement with 9 leading medical universities to start a diploma course in family medicine to address the shortage of family physicians needed to strengthen primary health care in Pakistan. Currently, primary care services are provided by general practitioners and medical officers with no formal training in family medicine. A newly trained cadre of family physicians in Pakistan will be able to provide quality and people-centred integrated health care. This includes both preventive and curative services and improved quality...
31 August 2021
31 August 2021 – To discuss the national strategy for COVID-19 vaccine production in Pakistan, the WHO country office in Pakistan conducted a meeting with Pakistan's Drug Regulatory Authority of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and National Vaccine Manufactures in Islamabad. WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala and Chief Executive Officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority Mr Asim Rauf chaired the meeting. During the meeting, Dr Mahipala reaffirmed WHO support to the Drug Regulatory Authority for vaccine production and Mr Rauf expressed his appreciation of WHO's technical...
31 August 2021
31 August 2021 – During a visit to a COVID-19 vaccination facility Pakistan’s Honorable Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi applauded WHO's efforts in facilitating access to the COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX Facility. COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which is a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of...
26 July 2021
Islamabad, 26 July 2021 – Yesterday a second consignment of 3 million doses of Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Government of the United States to the COVAX Facility have arrived in Pakistan, bringing the total doses donated by the US Government to Pakistan through COVAX to 5.5 million since 8 May.
23 July 2021
A total of over US$ 23 million to be made available in 2021 • The United Arab Emirates support will contribute to the yearly operational costs needed to protect approximately 16 million children under 5 years from polio in the 84 highest-risk districts of Pakistan and provide personal protective equipment for front-line workers
19 July 2021
Five million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been delivered to Islamabad by the COVAX Facility’s global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme so far. ISLAMABAD, 17 July 2021 – Today 1 236 000 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine reached Islamabad through the COVAX Facility, bringing the total number of doses delivered by the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme in Pakistan to five million so far. Since May, 2.4 million doses of AstraZeneca, 100 160 doses of Pfizer and 2.5 million doses of Moderna, the latter donated by the United States under the...
04 July 2021
The US-donated vaccines were delivered by the COVAX Facility, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme, as part of its dose-sharing mechanism Islamabad, 4 July 2021 – Today 2.5 million doses of Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccines supplied through the COVAX Facility’s dose-sharing mechanism, and donated by the United States, started being distributed by the Government of Pakistan to vaccinate priority groups across the country, in line with the national deployment and vaccination plan.
27 June 2021
27 June 2021 – Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, handed over a PCR machine and biosafety cabinet for Mianwali district to Major General Aamer Ikram, Executive Director, National Institute of Health in Islamabad, during an event at the WHO country office in Islamabad. WHO has so far delivered 32 PCR machines and other equipment to improve testing capacity for COVID-19 testing in Pakistan. The equipment aims to enhance laboratory testing capacity for COVID-19. WHO in Pakistan is collaborating with the National Institute of Health to strengthen testing capacity and genomic...
22 June 2021
22 June 2021 – Female polio frontline workers are playing a key role to eradicate polio in Pakistan. Given their trusted roles and responsibilities, they contribute a lot towards vaccinating millions of children across the country. Pakistan remains one of 2 countries where polio is endemic. With each polio campaign, it is essential that the entire country supports the successful implementation of campaigns which depend on the dedication of staff to reach all children. Health interventions and immunization activities in the country are most effective when delivered by women. During each nationwide polio...
13 June 2021
Friday 12 June, Islamabad – WHO and UNICEF have applauded the Government of Pakistan’s continued efforts to eradicate polio. The United Nations agencies commended the concerted efforts made to make sure that vaccination programmes continued even during COVID-19 surges in the country.
13 June 2021
13 June 2021 – WHO in Pakistan is striving hard to bring about a positive change in the health care system, a system which ensures the health and well-being of mothers and their newborn children by supporting health departments to establish, refurbish and equip maternal and child health care centres across the country. On his recent visit to Pakistan WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Al Mandhari accompanied by the WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala visited a refurbished maternal and child health care centre in Mangophir, Gadap, District...
13 June 2021
13 June 2021 – The World Health Organization continues to support federal and provincial health ministries and health departments to strengthen and increase vaccination coverage under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Pakistan. In support of these efforts, Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, opened a newly refurbished health facility at Gul Mohammad Dispensary (UC-8, Gadap Town, District West) during their recent visit to Sindh province. The Regional Director and WHO Representative were accompanied by Mr Aidan...
08 June 2021
6 June 2021, Islamabad – On the first day of a week’s mission to Pakistan, WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari formally opened 2 COVID-19 vaccination centres, a laboratory for infectious disease testing, a nutrition stabilization centre for children, and a refurbished gymnasium to help combat noncommunicable diseases. WHO Representative Dr Palitha Mahipala and representatives from government participated in these events. Dr Al-Mandhari is in Pakistan to participate in a visit by the Polio Oversight Board, meeting with high-level leadership and supporting the emergency response to...
02 June 2021
2 June 2021 – WHO and the National Institute of Health recently signed a 'letter of intent’ to signal their intention to collaborate to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of interest and variants of concern through PCR detection and genome sequencing. The letter of intent was signed at the WHO country office in Islamabad by Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, and Major General Professor Aamer Ikram, the Executive Director of the National Institute of Health, and is a formal commitment of WHO's support to the...
08 May 2021
More than one million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine Islamabad, 8 May 2021 – Today Pakistan received its first shipment of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines (SII-AZ AZD1222) from the COVAX Facility. The consignment of 1 238 400 doses of vaccines, which will be followed by another of 1 236 000 in a few days, will support the Government of Pakistan’s ongoing historic drive to bring the pandemic to an end. Further allocations from June onwards will be confirmed in due course. The goal of the COVAX Facility is to supply Pakistan with enough...
07 March 2021
“The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being”.
25 October 2020
Islamabad, 25 October 2020 – The World Health Organization (WHO) marked international World Polio Day on October 24 by recognizing the contributions of the Government of Pakistan, polio workers, caregivers, civil society and donors, who are united in fight against polio in Pakistan.
20 July 2020
20 July 2020 – Essential polio immunization campaigns are restarting in the Eastern Mediterranean Region this week under strict COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures, following a 4-month pause on all vaccination campaigns, including those to stop ongoing polio outbreaks. Pakistan today kicked off a small-scale polio outbreak response campaign in selected districts, aiming to vaccinate almost 800 000 children under-5 years of age. In line with WHO global guidelines, and guidance developed specifically for polio immunization activities in the Region, health workers have been trained on preventative and precautionary measures to...
20 June 2020
20 June 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has presented new challenges for health care systems across the globe, but especially in Pakistan. Infection prevention and control measures in health facilities are in urgent need of reform to cope with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. Before the crisis, global estimates suggested that more than 1.4 million patients suffer from infections acquired in health care facilities at any given time. The risks of health care-associated infections in developing countries, like Pakistan, are 2 to 20 times higher when compared to developed countries.
15 June 2020
15 June 2020 – “When my son was in his hospital bed, and they were giving him medicine, he’d say, ‘Mama, the mechanism of action of this drug is this, these are the side-effects.’” Dr Shabnam Tahir’s son, Salman, was a medical student preparing to become an anaesthesiologist when COVID-19 started spreading in Pakistan. “His memory was remarkable. He knew every drug.” “He wasn’t afraid of his disease,” says his mother. “He said, ‘Mama, don’t worry, I will come back after the ICU. Don’t cry, I will come back after 2 days."
25 April 2020
Islamabad, 25 April 2020 – The Government of the Republic of Korea has announced that it will be providing US$ 300 000 to the World Health Organization in Pakistan to support the country’s response in controlling the outbreak and spread of COVID-19.
25 April 2020
25 April 2020 – Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, handed over PCOT and PCR kits to Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, in the presence of Major General Professor Dr Aamer Ikram, Executive Director of the National Institute of Health, in a ceremony at the WHO country office today.
05 March 2020
5 March 2020 – In light of the fifth COVID-19 case announced in Pakistan, the World Health Organization (WHO) in country is prioritizing the need for specialized health care for confirmed patients. Since January, WHO has supported over 20 COVID-19 reference hospitals across the country with various preparedness and response activities, including the distribution of medical equipment, awareness-raising materials and technical support. One of these reference hospitals, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Services (PIMS) in Islamabad, has been receiving suspected cases and is treating two confirmed cases of COVID-19 to date....
01 March 2020
Islamabad, 1 March 2019 – Pakistani Health Authorities confirmed two cases of COVID-19. Both confirmed cases are from citizens who travelled to Islamic Republic of Iran for pilgrimage and subsequently returned to their hometowns of Karachi and Rawalpindi with initial respiratory symptoms of the virus.
23 February 2020
Panian, Haripur, 23 February 2020: The World Health Organization, in a ceremony held at Panian refugees camp, distributed assistive devices among old disabled Afghan refugees with the support of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, on behalf of the American people. The ceremony was largely attended by U.S. senior State diplomats, US Embassy in Pakistan, Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and partner organizations (Help Age International and IMC-UK) and a large number of beneficiaries from the refugee camp in Panian. The first of its kind, PROD project was launched in September 2018...
23 February 2020
Islamabad 23 February – Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, visited Larkana and Ratodera, Sindh recently. The visit began with Dr Palitha Mahipala administrating polio drops to children at the Sukkur airport as a part of the ongoing National Immunization Days (NIDs) campaign in the country. Dr Palitha emphasized on vaccinating children on polio to save them from a crippling disease. In addition to this, Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, along with Dr Azra Pechuho, honourable Minister of Health and Population, inaugurated the NID campaign in the...
23 February 2020
Islamabad, 23 February 2020 – Pakistan’s regional reference for polio has been upgraded with support from the Government of Japan through a grant worth US$ 3.3 million. The support will boost Pakistan’s capacity to swiftly track and respond to the poliovirus. The laboratory currently tests more than 30 000 stool samples and 950 environmental samples for polio a year from Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of the global effort to end virus circulation in both polio-endemic countries. The support from the Government of Japan has helped procure essential molecular-biology equipment...
18 February 2020
Lahore, 18 February 2020 – The Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres today visited a kindergarten school in Lahore during the first nationwide polio campaign of the year and vaccinated 3 students with the polio vaccine. More than 39 million children across the country are set to be vaccinated during the February campaign.
17 February 2020
17 February 2020 – Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan, at the inauguration of the open gymnasium said, “Noncommunicable diseases kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally. Cardiovascular (heart) diseases account for most of these deaths followed by cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes. In Pakistan, the burden of noncommunicable diseases is rapidly increasing and more than 60% deaths are due to these diseases (Pakistan data for disease burden 2017). Physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and tobacco use increase the risk of dying from an...
02 February 2020
The first large-scale vaccination campaign using needle-free jet injectors to administer fractional doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (fIPV) was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan, in February 2019. Data on acceptability of jet injectors were collected from 610 vaccinators and 4898 caregivers during the first four days of the campaign. Of those with prior needle and syringe experience, both vaccinators and caregivers expressed a strong preference for jet injectors (578/592 [97.6%] and 4792/4813 [99.6%], respectively), citing ease of use, appearance, and child’s response to vaccination. Among caregivers, 4638 (94.7%) stated they would...
04 December 2019
4 December 2019 – A historical milestone has been successfully achieved in Pakistan with the vaccination in Sindh Province of more than 9.4 million children aged from 9 months to 15 years against typhoid fever, with a coverage rate of 95%. Pakistan is the first country in the world to introduce the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into its routine immunization programme. This measure will contribute to the control of the extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid fever outbreak in the province, where more than 11,000 cases have been...
20 November 2019
20 November 2019 – Pakistan has become the first country to introduce the World Health Organization recommended typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into its routine immunization schedule.
17 November 2019
Karachi, 15 November 2019 - Pakistan today became the first country in the world to introduce the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) into its routine immunization programme. It is the first typhoid vaccine that can be given to children as young as 6 months of age and confers longer term protection against typhoid. The government of Pakistan is launching the vaccine introduction with a campaign in Sindh Province, which is the centre of an ongoing extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid outbreak that began in November 2016. “Children are disproportionately...
30 October 2019
29 October 2018 – World Polio Day (24 October) was marked with a myriad of events across Pakistan, all paying tribute to the efforts of frontline health workers. Events recognized the contributions of polio workers, caregivers, civil society and donors to ending polio in Pakistan. Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, is one of the two remaining countries in the world with ongoing wild poliovirus type 1 transmission. Despite an increase in the number of children paralysed by polio in Pakistan this year, the polio eradication programme and partners affirmed that they will...
04 August 2019
Cairo, Egypt, 1 August 2019 — I have just returned from my third, and most fruitful and memorable visit to Pakistan as WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. The 4 days I spent in the country this week were truly effective and productive.
22 July 2019
Islamabad, 22 July 2019 – The World Health Organization welcomes a new contribution from the Government of the Republic of Korea to support its ongoing response to an outbreak of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Pakistan. “This valuable support from the Government of the Republic of Korea will enable WHO to scale up its life-saving activities for the HIV-affected populations. We are especially grateful, as Korea is the first country to support WHO’s work in responding to this current HIV outbreak in Pakistan,” said Dr Palitha, WHO Representative in Pakistan.
13 June 2019
Photo credit: The New Humanitarian 13 June 2019 - Authorities announced the current outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Larkana, Sindh Province in Pakistan on 25 April 2019.
28 May 2019
28 May 2019, Islamabad – An international team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) has arrived in Pakistan to support the response to an outbreak of HIV in Larkana in Sindh province, Pakistan, at the request of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination. The outbreak was first reported on 25 April 2019, and a major HIV screening programme started on 28 April. It was expanded on 8 May, with additional health workers being deployed. Testing is ongoing. So far more than 600 HIV cases have been identified....
11 April 2019
11 April 2019 – The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination of Pakistan, in collaboration with WHO, convened a consultative meeting to develop provincial roadmaps and a health information system action plan in Islamabad, Pakistan on 25-27 February, 2019. The development of both the roadmaps and action plan are based on the results of two previous WHO technical missions to Pakistan to identify areas to improve and move towards a unified system, strengthen coordination among various systems and stakeholders, along with strengthening the capacity of the staff in...
10 April 2019
10 April 2019 – The WHO country office in Pakistan, in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination, organized two back-to-back national workshops on ICD 10-complaint medical certification of cause of death, based on the WHO approved tool to collect and report information on causes of death for public health planning. The aim of the workshop was to build a critical mass of physicians in ICD 10-compliant death certification by introducing them to the 2016 WHO international standard...
09 April 2019
Cairo, 9 April 9 2019 –The World Health Organization expresses its shock and dismay at the killing of a dedicated frontline polio worker in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Mr Wajid Ali, who was a staff member of the Kamali Union Council of Tehsil Haleemzai in Mohmand District since April 2017, was shot and killed while he was supporting polio eradication and immunization efforts in Pakistan on 8 April 2019. “We strongly condemn this and any attack targeting health care staff like Mr Ali, who are working hard to rid the world...
24 January 2019
Pakistan’s polio programme relies on the efforts of thousands of specialized workers. But if there’s one group almost everyone relies on, it’s the drivers. In the endgame of eradication, reaching zero transmissions in a country like Pakistan, where wild poliovirus is still endemic, requires a vast network of expertise, from epidemiologists to negotiators to data managers and community health workers. But without drivers, much of this network wouldn’t be able to function. Polio eradication entails wide-ranging nationwide vaccination campaigns, and in Pakistan, this means targeting more than 38 million children under the...
10 January 2019
10 January 2019 – WHO has been providing support to Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and health departments in the Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces to strengthen routine immunization in underserved areas and ensure equitable access to vaccines for children from these areas.
09 January 2019
9 January 2019, Islamabad – World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has concluded his official visit to Pakistan today, calling for a final push on polio eradication and commitment to ensure that all people in the country can obtain the health care they need.
08 January 2019
Islamabad, Pakistan, 18 December 2018 – Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, has concluded his first official visit to Pakistan by applauding efforts to boost health and health care in the country. The two-day visit, from 17 to 18 December 2018, included meetings with several government officials and field visits aimed at enhancing mutual collaboration between WHO and the Government of Pakistan. The Regional Director was accompanied by Dr N’ima Saeed Abid, WHO Country Representative ad interim, and Dr Zafar Mirza, Director of Health System Development at...
08 November 2018
8 November 2018 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has received a generous donation from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM) to address the unmet health and protection needs of older Afghan refugees and host communities in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in Pakistan. The donation of almost US$ 1 million will fund WHO’s Protecting Rights of Older People with Disabilities (PROD) project, which focuses on people aged 60 or above with disabilities, chronic diseases, psychosocial disorders and trauma, and/or who are survivors of gender-based...
08 November 2018
8 November 2018 – The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, organized a national launch of Sustainable Development Goal 3 localization in Pakistan on 30 October 2018 in Islamabad. The event aimed to disseminate national indicators and targets for the health-related goals as key outcomes of a localization exercise, including extensive provincial consultations with Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
22 October 2018
Islamabad, 23 October 2018 – On World Polio Day, Dr Nima Saeed Abid, Head of WHO Office in Pakistan, thanked the United Arab Emirates for their contribution to Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio. Thanks to the support of the Emirates polio campaign managed by the United Arab Emirates Pakistan Assistance Programme (UAE-PAP), tens of millions of children have been vaccinated against polio since the launch of the campaign in 2014.
15 October 2018
More than 32 million children will be immunized against measles, an exceptionally contagious and deadly virus, in 2 weeks ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - October 15, 2018 – Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) joined the Government of Pakistan in kick-starting a nationwide measles campaign to vaccinate more than 32 million children – one sixth of the population. During the two weeks of the campaign, all children between nine months and five years of age will be targeted for vaccination against the deadly measles virus which attacks the...
15 October 2018
15 October 2018 – More than 32 million Pakistani children are to be vaccinated against measles in late October in a countrywide immunization campaign that pulls together national funding and the polio programme’s greatest asset: its human resources. From 15 to 27 October, Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) plans to carry out a nationwide measles campaign targeting approximately 31.8 million children aged from 9 to 59 months (and 6 to 83 months in Punjab province). Measles is a highly contagious disease which can be fatal in children, but is preventable...
07 August 2018
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 vaccination programmes will help to expand access to immunization and to reach the most vulnerable and lowest income sections of society.
20 June 2018
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 for sale or distribute any cigarettes unless they are in a packet of at least twenty cigarette sticks”. The Government has already banned the sale of cigarettes to minors.
22 May 2018
22 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 must use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. “The accident happened when I attended a good friend’s wedding in March 2016”, recalls Dr Hafeez. “There was nothing unusual about this night - it was a typical wedding ceremony full of festivities among family and friends. As we were celebrating, a heavy metal pole from the...
14 May 2018
14 May 2018, Islamabad – The opening ceremony of the first meeting in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean Region on improving access to assistive technology was held on 8 May 2018 in Islamabad. The high-level meeting was attended by health professionals from 15 countries of the Region, senior officials from the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Government of Pakistan, representatives of United Nations agencies, donors and dignitaries from the private sector.
08 May 2018
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 and Coordination, the meeting will be attended by national and international experts from ministries of health and social welfare within the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, as well as international partners.
22 March 2018
22 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 leadership of Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, has revolutionized the health sector in Punjab,” he said.
01 March 2018
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 genetic analysers, real time polymerase chain reaction machines, incubators and freezers, among others, the laboratory will significantly enhance its sample processing capacity. Through this new equipment, the Regional Reference Laboratory will improve the speed of the results reported from the stool...
22 February 2018
22 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 of Pakistan and for the tremendous support provided by WHO to medical universities for strengthening family medicine departments in 2017.
20 February 2018
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 and baby. From 7 to 8 February 2018, a 2-day national level anaemia reduction consultative workshop was organized by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, with the support of WHO. The workshop was attended by representatives of United...
19 February 2018
19 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 campaigns. Established in 2000 by CDC and other partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the Bob Keegan Polio Eradication Heroes Fund recognizes polio workers who have suffered from serious injuries or death as a direct consequence of their participation in polio eradication activities.
28 January 2018
28 January 2018 – Set up in 1904 by the British Leprosy Mission, the Rawalpindi Leprosy Hospital is the oldest facility dedicated to the treatment of leprosy in Pakistan. Located in what is now a crowded part of the city, at the time of establishment, the hospital was a deserted place in the outskirts of the city. Lepers from all over British India used to come here for treatment and shelter. Since 1968, the hospital has been run by the organization Aid to Leprosy Patients (ALP). There are currently 97 beds for...
WHO recognizes the contribution of the United Arab Emirates to polio eradication efforts in Pakistan
24 January 2018
24 January 2018 – Year 2017 was historic for Pakistan’s polio eradication programme as the country registered an overall 97% drop in wild poliovirus cases from the dire situation of 2014 – cases consistently dropped from highs of 306 to 54 in 2015–2020 in 2016 and only 8 in 2017. Despite many challenges faced by the programme in 2017, fewer children were being missed by vaccinators and the campaign quality has continued to increase. In 2017, thanks to the support of the United Arab Emirates’ Pakistan Assistance Programme polio campaign Phase...
10 December 2017
24 November 2017 – As part of a series of events organized to mark World AIDS Day on 1 December 2017, the Wajood, a community-based transgender community organization in Pakistan launched the Pakistan Transgender Empowerment Association: voice for social change and empowerment at a ceremony on 24 November 2017 in Islamabad. Participants at the ceremony were welcomed and introduced to the work of the Association by Ms Bubbli Malik, Wajood Executive Director, and Ms Aisha. Ms Malik shared the objectives, mission and way forward of the Association, stating that the transgender individual...
10 December 2017
The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences organized an awareness-raising seminar on 1 December as part of a week-long series of events to mark World AIDS Day 2017. The main objectives of the seminar were to assist health care providers in working collectively towards addressing HIV-related stigma and discrimination in health care facilities, and to devise joint key recommendations for action to end this discrimination.
16 November 2017
16 November 2017 – A national meeting on developing consensus-based action priorities based on the results of the WHO Emergency Care System Assessment was convened in Islamabad on 14 and 15 November 2017 by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Pakistan, in collaboration with the WHO Country Office and with support provided by WHO headquarters and WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. Participants included emergency care system professionals and stakeholders from Baluchistan, Gilgat-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. The meeting aimed to review the WHO Emergency Care System Assessment...
02 November 2017
2 November 2017 – Pakistan has launched the first sub-national immunization days (SNIDs) campaign of the current low transmission season on 30 October 2017, targeting more than 21 million children under the age of 5. The campaign has taken place in a total of 95 districts/agencies/towns of the country. The majority of districts concluded the SNIDs on 2 November, while three districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Chitral, Dir Lower and Dir Upper as well as Lahore will start the campaign on 6 November. Over 145 000 trained and dedicated sehat muhafiz have...
26 October 2017
26 October 2017 – More than 95 000 cases of suspected dengue fever have been reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan since the start of the outbreak On 19 July 2017, including more than 20 000 laboratory-confirmed cases and 61 deaths. The district of Peshawar has reported the highest number of cases, with a total of 88 000 suspected cases, including 19 000 confirmed cases and 56 deaths as of 24 October 2017.
21 October 2017
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Ms Saira Afzal Tarar, diplomats and heads of international organizations paid tribute to the late Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, by signing a condolence book at the WHO country office in Pakistan. Dr Fikri died of a heart attack on 17 October 2017 while en route to Uruguay to attend the global conference on noncommunicable diseases. During almost nine months since taking office in February 2017, Dr Fikri demonstrated commitment and dedication to furthering the mission of...
17 October 2017
Islamabad, 10 October 2017 – A special session to review progress of the polio eradication programme in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region was held at the Sixty-fourth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean taking place from 9 to 12 October 2017 in Islamabad. Addressing the Regional Committee on Tuesday 11 October, Chris Maher, manager of WHO’s regional polio eradication programme in Amman, Jordan, provided a situation update in the Region. According to Mr Maher, Pakistan and Afghanistan – the last two remaining polio-endemic countries of the Region -...
11 October 2017
On World Mental Health Day observed every year on 10 October, World Health Organization (WHO) Pakistan marked the day with the support of psychosocial volunteers from United Nations Critical Incident Stress Management Unit (CISMU). The aim of the event organized by WHO Provincial Office in Lahore was to raise awareness about mental health issues in the work place. The staff discussed the issues related to improving mental health of staff working in the field and signed a pledge to improve their well-being. According to a recent study, The Burden of Mental...
09 October 2017
Islamabad, 9 October 2017 – Attending the sixty-fourth session of WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean taking place from 9 to 12 October 2017 in Islamabad, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Mahmoud Fikri inaugurated a photo exhibition by United Arab Emirates’ Pakistan Assistance Programme dedicated to Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts. Mrs Saira Afzal Tarar, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, along with other distinguished guests, were also present at the exhibition inauguration.
19 September 2017
19 September 2017 – Pakistan, being one of the last 3 polio-endemic countries in the world, has launched the first national immunization days campaign of the 2017–2018 low transmission season during which more than 37 million children under the age of 5 will be vaccinated against polio. The campaign is taking place in all the districts/agencies of the country with a few local operational adjustments. Over 250 000 trained and dedicated frontline workers are vaccinating children in all corners of Pakistan this week by going from house to house. To ensure maximum...
29 August 2017
29 August 2017 – WHO Pakistan has signed an agreement with UN WOMEN, UNFPA and UNODC today in Islamabad to implement a joint programme on essential services for women and girls subjected to violence and discrimination based on gender and social norms in Pakistan (2017–2019). The agreement was signed in the presence of Mr Niel Buhne, UN Resident Coordinator of Pakistan. The agreement will be functional from August 2017 to August 2019 and the total cost is US$ 250 000 that has been initially mobilized as first trench to start and...
22 August 2017
22 August 2017 – The WHO country office in Pakistan with support provided by the WHO Regional Ofice and in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination is convening a hospital management training course from 21 to 26 August, 2017 in Islamabad, Pakistan. The participants are hospital mangers from 15 hospitals from all provinces in Pakistan in addition to Azad Jammu Kashmir and Islamabad. The training aims to build capacity of hospital managers in Pakistan to ensure improved management of hospital service delivery addressing the major local health...
14 August 2017
New analysis shows an investment of US$ 4.70 per newborn could generate US$ 300 billion in economic gains by 2025 Islamabad/Pakistan, August 14, 2017 – Promotion of breastfeeding could save the lives of 820 000 children under the age of 5, globally, by achieving enhanced rates of breastfed children. This was revealed in a newly released joint WHO-UNICEF report. The report stated that no country in the world fully meets the recommended breastfeeding standards and that only 23 countries, out of 194 nations, have exclusive breastfeeding rates above 60%. Pakistan stands at...
09 August 2017
National and provincial stakeholders meet to review national health information system in Pakistan 9 August 2017 - To better understand the state of health information system (HIS) in Pakistan, WHO, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, the Provincial Departments of Health and international consultants conducted a review of the national HIS aimed at strengthening and integrating the HIS to increase coordination and cooperation among provinces and development partners, strengthening transfer and sharing of knowledge and encouraging the use of evidence and information in policy-making.
31 July 2017
31 July 2017 – With 5 national campaigns since October 2016, Pakistan is well positioned to face the challenges ahead. At the end of May 2017, more than 38 million children under the age of 5 were vaccinated against polio in Pakistan. During the campaign, over 250 000 trained polio workers went from house to house across the length and breadth of the country to vaccinate children against the crippling disease.
27 April 2017
25 April 2017 – WHO, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, and the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP) of Pakistan conducted an intensive house-to-house investigation over the past few weeks to confirm an outbreak of chikungunya fever in Balochistan province in Pakistan where it has been reported for the first time.
25 April 2017
25 April 2017– A training workshop on the diagnosis, treatment and management of leishmaniasis was held in Peshawar on 10 April 2017, organized by World Health Organization (WHO) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Health. Since January 2014, 22 112 cases of leishmaniasis have been reported in the province. Training workshops are also to be organized in other provinces. Dr Shabina Raza, Director-General of Health Services for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, noting the Department of Health’s close collaboration with WHO, expressed her appreciation to WHO for importing 50 000 doses of Glucantime medicine...
25 April 2017
25 April 2017, Islamabad – A joint WHO/Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement Mission visited Pakistan on 10–12 April 2017. The Mission was led by Ms Gerda Verburg SUN Movement Coordinator and Assistant United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, together with Dr Francesco Branca, WHO Director of the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development and Dr Ayoub Al Jawaldeh, WHO Regional Advisor on Nutrition.
13 April 2017
20 April 2017 – In a small health facility in Sakhi Sarwar, a little town in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Dr Ujala Nayyar, WHO’s Surveillance Officer for Punjab, leans over a register to review all doctors’ appointments in recent months. She is checking every record to look for symptoms that could be signs of polio, like the sudden floppiness in arms, legs or any part of the body that indicates acute flaccid paralysis (AFP).
02 April 2017
2 April 2017 – The high level mission from 7 to 9 March 2017 was conducted to review the immunization programme in Pakistan was joined by representatives from UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank, DFID, USAID, CDC and JICA. The main objectives of the mission was to engage with high-level federal and provincial authorities to leverage political support for routine immunization and review progress on issues identified during previous high-level missions and also to assess progress of the National Immunization Support Project (NISP). The progress made by the programme since the last...
30 March 2017
Islamabad, 30 March 2017 – During his 2-day visit to Pakistan on 30–31 March 2017, Dr Mahmoud Fikri, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, met with H.E. Abdulaziz Ali Rashed Binmesaied Alneyadi, First Secretary with the Embassy of United Arab Emirates in Pakistan, to express his appreciation of the country's funding to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme and encouraged continued support to Pakistan’s relentless efforts to wipe out the virus.
22 March 2017
22 March 2017 – A national consultative workshop was conducted on 6–7 March 2017 in Islamabad, Pakistan. The key purpose of the workshop was to discuss the role and engagement of science community, academia and civil society to address challenges in the perspective of achieving targets for health and nutrition under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a set of 17 aspirational global goals with 169 targets, spearheaded by the United Nations, through a deliberative process involving its 194 Member States.
24 January 2017
24 January 2017 – Humanity is on the verge of one the greatest public health achievements in history – eradicating polio. In 2016, fewer children were paralysed by polio than in any other year globally, and in Pakistan. Despite many challenges faced by the polio programme, Pakistan has made strides towards stopping transmission and in 2017 is the closest it has ever been to reaching that goal. After many years the highly transmittable yet vaccine preventable virus is finding that there are very few places left to hide. In 2016, thanks to...
18 December 2016
There have been unconfirmed reports of the presence of chikungunya virus in Karachi, Sindh, especially in areas of Malir. The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Department of Health of Sindh Province and World Health Organization (WHO) in Pakistan are working closely in the wake of these unconfirmed reports and carrying out epidemiological investigations. However, while the investigations continue, it can be clarified that no cases of chikungunya virus have yet been confirmed till date and any information circulating with regard to confirmation of any case is incorrect and...
07 September 2016
In the last week of August, more than 15.5 million children across Pakistan’s highest-risk districts received the most vital health interventions to protect them from polio: two drops of oral polio vaccine. Pakistan is close to entering the final stages of what will be a major milestone in global health: the interruption of polio. After many years, and despite many challenges faced by the polio programme, the highly transmittable yet vaccine-preventable virus, is finding that there are very few places left to hide. In some of the highest-risk districts, where polio has...
25 August 2016
25 August 2016, Islamabad – Within the context of efforts to enhance global vaccine safety and build and support a systemic approach to vaccine pharmacovigilance in all low- and middle-income countries, WHO is holding a workshop on adverse events following immunization (AEFI) surveillance and monitoring in Islamabad, Pakistan, from 22 to 26 August 2016. AEFI refers to any untoward medical occurrence which follows immunization and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine. The adverse event may be any unfavourable or unintended sign, abnormal laboratory finding,...
07 August 2016
5 August 2016 – The Islamic Advisory Group for Polio Eradication (IAG) adopted a new work-plan last week to help in the final push to end polio in the last 2 Muslim countries where the virus remains in circulation – Afghanistan and Pakistan. The announcement came at the conclusion of the third annual IAG meeting held at the Islamic Development Bank’s headquarters in Jeddah. During the meeting, the Group also expressed its intention to expand its role by supporting other immunization initiatives and programmes that benefit maternal and child health. Read...
03 July 2016
3 July 2016 – The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on polio eradication has met in Islamabad for the second time this year to discuss progress, remaining obstacles and opportunities as Pakistan edges closer to achieving the goal of stopping transmission of the virus. Senior leaders from across the Global Polio Eradication Initiative joined federal and provincial team leads as they briefed TAG members on the progress made since the last meeting in January 2016. The group also assessed plans for updates to the 2016–2017 National Emergency Action Plan leading into the next...
28 April 2016
28 April 2016 – WHO's World Immunization Week 2016 kicked off this week with the aim of raising international awareness on the critical importance of full immunization from childhood through to adulthood. One of the campaign’s major focuses is polio; incurable, but preventable with a simple vaccine. World Immunization Week is an opportunity to celebrate the progress marked by the drop in cases by 99.9% in the last 3 decades; but it also calls for increased momentum for the final push to overcome the last remaining pockets of the virus...
12 April 2016
Islamabad, 12 April 2016 – Canada has announced a contribution of $ 40 million Canadian dollars to support the eradication of polio in Pakistan over the next 3 years. The contribution from the Government of Canada will strengthen community support for polio eradication, raise awareness and support recruitment and training for a community-based vaccinators’ project, implemented by UNICEF, while WHO will strengthen supplementary immunization operations, campaign and post-campaign monitoring, surveillance and monitoring efforts to detect and track the poliovirus.
09 March 2016
9 March 2016 – Women are at the centre of the polio eradication effort in Pakistan. Thousands of women: vaccinators, lady health workers, social mobilizers, union council polio workers, area coordinators, polio eradication officers work with communities every day to deliver vital immunizations against polio and other vaccine preventable diseases. Noorjahan was a school teacher before she joined the polio programme, a move she made to make sure her children would grow up in a polio-free Pakistan. “When I started I didn’t know a lot about polio. I saw it is a very...
30 January 2016
January 29, Islamabad: Pakistan’s polio eradication initiative (PEI) has been put under the microscope by members of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) in Islamabad this week as they review recent progress made in the fight to eradicate the disease from one of the world’s last reservoirs. The 2-day meeting drew polio experts from lead implementation partners World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), PEI leadership teams from provinces across Pakistan, senior representatives from across the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and key donors. TAG Chair Jean Marc Olive...
17 November 2015
Islamabad, 17 November 2015 – The fight against polio in Pakistan is being strenghened through the expansion of the activities of the religious leaders initiative. Following the lead of the Islamic Advisory Group on Polio Eradication, the National Islamic Advisory Group and provincial scholars’ taskforces are bringing together renowned and influential religious leaders to support efforts to eradicate polio. There have been 32 wild poliovirus cases in Pakistan so far in 2015, a 75% decrease compared to the same period in 2014. The initiative has reached the local level and is...
23 February 2015
Islamabad, 19 February 2015 – Childhood immunization in Pakistan is at a crossroads and strong political will is required to ensure that the lives of millions of children are not put at risk, three global health leaders warned today. Almost three million children miss out on a full course of the most basic vaccines every year in Pakistan, leaving them vulnerable to life-threatening diseases. Immunization coverage rates across the country vary widely with some districts seeing very few children protected against diseases, such as diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles and bacterial pneumonia.
10 February 2015
10 February 2015 - According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over a billion people or around 15% of the world's population have some sort of disability, whereas the prevalence of disability in Pakistan is estimated by the Population Census (1998) at 2.49%. Effective policy-making requires reliable, valid and detailed data on all aspects of disability – impairments, activity limitations, participation restrictions, related health conditions, environmental factors—information that is lacking in Pakistan as in most of the developing countries. There is no standardized instrument for data collection on disability that...
14 January 2015
Islamabad, 13 January, 2015: The World Health Organization would like to firmly dispel the notion that its office in Islamabad is involved in the direct recruitment of polio workers in any capacity. WHO in Pakistan works in close collaboration with the Government of Pakistan to assist on polio eradication in the country. The assistance is provided in the technical domains ranging from strategy formulation at the national and provincial levels down to ground level of micro-planning and training at the union council level. Union council polio workers are being supported...
01 December 2014
Clarification message to the press: WHO has not closed or withdrawn its operations in Balochistan or elsewhere in Pakistan: Dr Michel Thieren, WHO Representative in Pakistan 30 November 2014 – Recently there has been news in the media relating to the supposed closure of business of WHO Pakistan in Balochistan following the recent two attacks on polio workers. WHO would like to categorically dispel the notion that it is closing down or withdrawing its operations in Balochistan, or anywhere else in Pakistan, and would like to firmly clarify what has been decided: WHO...
21 October 2014
21 October 2014, Tunis – In a special session on polio eradication held on the sidelines of the Sixty-first WHO Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean, Pakistan gave a detailed presentation on the current situation in the country and highlighted the priority actions and procedures needed to accelerate and intensify polio eradication. H.E. Saira Afzal Tarar, Minister of State for National Health Services Regulation and Coordination, Pakistan, reiterated the full commitment of her country to the cause of polio eradication. She noted that Pakistan suffered from a unique situation with strong...
11 September 2014
Stagnant water in the flood affected areas may cause severe health issues along with dengue and other waterborne diseases, 74 health facilities affected by flood, 326 mobile medical teams and 367 medical camps are operational, LLITNs are needed for prevention of malaria especially among pregnant women and under 5 children in flood-affected districts. Vitamin A supplementation will be part of NID starting from 29 September 2014, partners are on the ground, working closely with local authorities to support the affected populations with much needed food, non-food items, health services including medicines, emergency...
30 April 2014
A five-day pilot test training for the implementation of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) was held in Islamabad from 14 to 18 April 2014. The training was organized by the WHO country office, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MNHSR and C) and the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The training was attended by the IT team and field interviewers from the PBS. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) is a nationally representative household survey that was launched in February 2007 as a new...
04 February 2014
3 February 2014 – Mr Jahangir Tareen, Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) visited the WHO Pakistan country office and met with Dr Ni’ma Abid, acting WHO Representative for Pakistan, Dr Elias Durry, Emergency Coordinator for Polio Eradication and Dr Zubair Mufti to discuss the Polio Eradication Initiative in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI leadership is very much motivated by the success of yesterday – a one-day campaign which involved vaccinating more than 360 000 children in 45 high risk union councils of Peshawar with no security incidences. Free health camps are ongoing.