Health crisis

This is to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the health crisis in Pakistan. Health has never been a priority of any government. Every year, a large number people of people lost their lives because of lack of resources in the country. Most common health problems which currently exist in the country include intestinal infections, tuberculosis, bacterial and viral diseases, hepatitis A, hepatitis E, typhoid malaria, dengue fever, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. A large number of people are living below the poverty line. In addition to this, health facilities are not available in the rural parts of Pakistan. Many doctors are available in the area, but they do not perform their duties. Doctors charge high amount of fees. This is a huge burden on a poor person whose average monthly income is low.

The concerned authorities are requested to draft a plan to help the people living in impoverished areas. Prices of life-saving medicines should be subsidised. Free medical treatment should be made available in the rural areas of the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) works tirelessly to deal with health issues all around the world. It sponsors programmes to prevent and treat harmful diseases. The Pakistani government should seek the assistance of the organisation to resolve the country’s health issues.

Maryam Amir

Karachi

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Pakistan has a population of 180 million of which 177 million are at risk of malaria. Malaria is a disease most commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected anopheles mosquito. Symptoms of malaria include fever, flu, headaches, muscles aches, nausea and vomiting.. In Pakistan, malaria is the second most common disease with 4.5 million cases reported each year. In total, 39 districts of Balochistan and Sindh are more at risk. About 65 percent of the country’s population is living in rural areas where no health facility is available. In these areas, mostly small children are being infected. Currently, there is no vaccine for malaria, however there is a desperate need for one. Some researchers believe they may be well on their way to fulfilling this need. Result from a phase I clinical trial reveal that a vaccine called pfSPZ protected healthy adults against malaria for more than 1 year. Controlling malaria is not difficult, but our government has totally ignored it. Awareness is the key to inform the people how to keep their areas clean. The media can also play a vital role in rasing the awareness.

Kiran Fatima

Islamabad