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Tag: Health

  • Pakistan launches National Mental Health Policy 2026-2035

    Pakistan launches National Mental Health Policy 2026-2035

    Islamabad: The government has launched the National Mental Health Policy 2026-2035, aimed at expanding access to mental health services for more than 32.4 million people estimated to need care across the country.

    Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal launched the policy during the Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit in Islamabad. The two-day summit brought together around 800 participants, including health professionals, policymakers, academics and development partners.

    According to World Health Organization estimates, about 32.4 million people in Pakistan require mental health care, while only around five percent currently have access to services. The policy was developed with the Ministry of National Health Services, the WHO, UNICEF and the Global Institute of Human Development.

    Officials said the plan focuses on evidence-based measures, stronger primary-care and community services, and reducing the shortage of trained mental health professionals.

  • Health experts warn against fast food, smoking and overeating

    Health experts warn against fast food, smoking and overeating

    Karachi: Health experts have expressed concern over what they described as an alarming increase in heart and other diseases, urging the public to adopt healthier daily habits.

    Speaking at a medical camp organised by the Aga Khan University Hospital in collaboration with the Karachi Press Club, the experts advised people to discourage fast food consumption, especially among children, and to avoid smoking and other forms of tobacco.

    Dr Javaid A. Khan said lifestyle changes were urgently needed and that regular physical activity could reduce the risk of several diseases. Dr Yawer Saeed, Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the Aga Khan University, said cardiovascular diseases were reaching epidemic proportions in Pakistan and that heart attacks were increasingly being seen in younger people.

    He advised dietary moderation, balanced nutrition and positive lifestyle changes to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. The camp provided ECGs, echocardiograms and cardiology and pulmonology consultations.