The coronavirus pandemic: need for telemedicine on April 16, 2020The coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan, China at the end of December 2019 was not anticipated to have taken over the world in such a deadly manner, killing thousands along its way. For Pakistan, the scenario is still not as bad as it could have been. Let’s take this opportunity to reflect on the […]
Aftermath of nuclear war on March 17, 2019The possibility of a nuclear war between Pakistan and India was widely debated in the past few days. Let us take a look at the aftermath of such a misadventure. Nine sovereign nuclear states across the world share between them approximately 14,000 nuclear missiles. Three nuclear flash points exist in today’s era: America and North […]
The media need to stop bashing doctors on October 24, 2018“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed,” Mark Twain said. “If you read the newspaper, you’re misinformed.” The quote is reminiscent of the role played by our media in shaping the current image of Pakistani doctors. Without fully understanding the realities and limitations of our healthcare system and those working in it, both digital […]
The ancestral disease on October 2, 2018Withered skin, feeble bones and a fractured memory – “Is Akhtar dead?” inquires Parveen, a seventy year old housewife living in the suburbs of Islamabad, every morning she asks about her late husband. Being a victim of Alzheimer’s, an insidious disease which impairs memory, thinking and behaviour, Parveen has to relive the demise of her […]
Out of options on May 24, 2018The global pipeline producing new antibiotics has dried up. Drug resistance is on the rise and we are not left with many combating options. The first antibiotic, Penicillin, was discovered in 1928 setting in motion the magical antibiotic era during which miraculous life-saving cures became the norm, owing to the golden bullets which antibiotics are […]
Mental health and the workplace on October 15, 2017Mental health has never been given priority in comparison to health issues of the body due to its intangible nature. As such, a day has been dedicated to draw global attention towards mental health issues. One of the intended functions of this day is to advocate against the deeply embedded social stigma regarding mental illnesses […]
An air of despondency on August 29, 2017An air of despondency has once again infiltrated Pakistani towns and cities, more so in the North-West. The August of 2017 saw five lives being lost to the deadly dengue fever. Hospital wards across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province present a familiar setting, with dozens of patients admitted due to sudden-onset fever, body aches, rash and/or […]
Beating India to win Champions Trophy wasnt easy. Or was it? on June 19, 2017The opening part of the Pakistani batting witnessed multiple missed shots, the ball kissing the edge of the bat and helmet leading to maximum runs behind the wicket, a second life being granted to Fakhar Zaman owing to a no-ball by Bumrah at the start of the 4th over allowing Zaman to later score a […]
Mending broken minds on April 12, 2017World Health Day, celebrated each year on 7April, marks the anniversary of World Health Organization (WHO), which was established in 1950.Each year a theme is set to draw attention towards a particular world health issue. The theme this April is “Depression: Let’s talk”.A taboo in many regions of the world, depression will ironically be the […]
Of ego and pride on February 5, 2017Kashmir, the land of the pure (Pakistan) and the land of festivals (India) share the saddest love story ever — both countries having proclaimed their yearning for Kashmir on countless occasions. Kashmir, the heaven on earth, has many times faced hellfire over the years. Despite many UN resolutions, the Kashmir issue remains an open wound. […]