WHO and UNICEF join forces to support Pakistan’s mass measles immunization campaign
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...
Pakistan’s polio fighters lend a hand in the battle against measles
Photo: WHO Pakistan/A. Zaidi15 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...
Mobility support for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Pakistan
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...
Government of Pakistan bans the sale of loose cigarettes
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...
Pakistani doctor Sana Hafeez named WHO Global Champion for Assistive Technology
Dr Sana Hafeez receives nomination as WHO Global Champion for Assistive Technology from President of Pakistan Mr Mamnoon Hussain. WHO Pakistan22 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...
First regional consultative meeting on improving access to assistive technology
His Excellency Mr Mamnoon Hussain, President of Pakistan, Her Excellency, Mrs Saira Afzal Tarar, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, Dr Zafar Mirza, Director of Department of Health Systems, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Sana Hafeez, first ever WHO Global Champion on Assistive Technology being...
Pakistan hosts groundbreaking meeting to improve access to assistive technology
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...
WHO Pakistan applauds health reform progress in Punjab
Credit: WHO Pakistan/A. Zaidi22 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...
Japan to provide substantial support to Regional Polio Laboratory
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...
WHO Representative awarded lifelong membership of the Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians
Dr Mohammad Assai Ardakani, WHO Representative in Pakistan22 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...







