Category: Business

KARACHI:All Pakistan Lady Health workers Welfare Association (APLHWWA) has strongly rejected the devolution of Sindh Lady Health Workers Program and changes in its structure.

Central Chairperson All Pakistan Lady Health workers Welfare Association Bushra Arain, while addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club, said Sindh government is trying to change name of lady health workers program and its logo which is not acceptable to them at any cost. She said lady health workers of Sindh have totally rejected structural changes in program.

She claimed that 25,000 lady health workers are working in Sindh to vaccinate children and save them from disability under Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s vision; however, Sindh government has completely changed the structure of program in fiscal year 2020-21 budget.

She informed that Sindh health department has introduced a new controversial program which is illegal and unconstitutional, as well as, violation of apex court’s order. She explained that provincial government has shifted eight vertical programs from development budget into non-development budget.

She said lady health workers program was introduced by the then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 1994. She said conspiracies against this program would not be tolerated, as lady health workers are united. Earlier, a large number of lady health workers staged protest and observed token sit-ins against changes in structure of Sindh Lady Health Workers Program outside the Karachi Press Club.

KARACHI:Sindh Health Department has posted specialized cadre Dr Noor Muhammad Soomro as Medical Superintendent of Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi and transferred general cadre doctor Dr Khadim Hussain Qureshi from his post.

According to a notification, on the recommendation of Sindh Health Department Dr Khadim Hussain Qureshi, Senior Medical Officer (BS-20), presently posted as Medical Superintendent, Dr Ruth K.M Pfau, Civil Hospital, Karachi is transferred and posted with immediate effect and until further orders as Chief Superintendent Medical Officer Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital Karachi.

Dr Noor Muhammad Soomro, Chief Oncologist (BS-20), CHK is assigned to hold additional charge of the post of Medical Superintendent, CHK, due to ongoing emergency of COVID-19. It was pertinent to mention here that Sindh health department had removed specialized cadre Prof Dr Saeed Ahmed Qureshi from the post Medical Superintendent CHK and Prof Anis Ahmed Bhatti from post of Executive Director Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in past over violation of rules.

Karachi:PCB has confirmed that all members of Pakistan squad including members of team management have tested negative for Covid-19 in England.

All of the 22 players and 13 members of the team management in England have tested negative for Covid-19 in the first round of tests conducted. ECB Medical Panel conducted Covid-19 testing in Worcester on Monday. After the negative test report, the national players were allowed to train in Worcester.

KARACHI:Society for Protection of Rights of the Child (SPARC) held 2nd online session on Tuesday to discuss Finance Bill 2020 recommendation on tobacco taxation and demanded of the federal and provincial governments to increase resource allocations to improve the status of child rights in Pakistan.

In opening remarks, Kashif Mirza, Manager Communication from SPARC, said Pakistan had not made much progress on its commitment to providing free and quality education to every child according to article 25-A of the Constitution. He mentioned that according to official statistics, Pakistan had 22.84 million out-of-school children (age 05 to 16) which was the 2nd highest figure in the world. Allocating the salaries of teachers does not equate to working on education. Adequate budget should be allocated to convert primary schools into middle and secondary schools to curb down the drop-out-ratio of children.

He added that this is much required step in improving children’s health. The surcharge of Rs10 for each cigarette pack can generate up to Rs 40 billion in revenue. This will not only take cigarettes out of reach of children but will also provide much needed funds for improvement of child healthcare system in Pakistan.

According to National Nutrition Survey 2018, Pakistan is facing the triple burden of malnutrition. The survey found 40.2% of children under five years of age are stunted, while 17.7% suffer from wasting. Rs 40 billion generated from tobacco taxes can be directed towards funding health programs and government commitments such as those defined under National Health Vision 2016 – 2025.

Tobacco is a non-essential product that in fact increases health burden, so it must be discouraged by implementing higher taxes. Shahzad Qureshi, Member Sindh Assembly from PTI, appreciated the suggestions given by Senators Mohammad Ali Khan Saif and Kulsoom Parveen parliament secretary on health in the Finance Bill 2020, suggesting increase in the FED on tobacco products. He further said this suggestion if implemented would be a key step towards paving a bright future for children of our country.

In the light of recommendations submitted to Senate in the Finance Bill 2020, Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif and Senator Kulsoom Parveen urged the government to increase FED and implement a surcharge on tobacco products. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Member, Senate of Pakistan, said Pakistan had around 87.938 million children approximately 47% of Pakistan’s total population. Its present as well as future depends on the survival, protection and promotion rights, and development of its children, who constitute the majority of our population.

Our children were not our future. They are our present – here and now. The proposed recommendations including raising FED on Tier-1 up to Rs. 30 per packet. This tier comprises of the top brands, which captures 10 per cent of the market share without any significant competition. Tier-2 tier comprises of 90 per cent of the market share. The Senators had proposed an increase of Rs. 10 per packet on this tier.

Iqbal Dheto, Member from Sindh of National Commission of Child Rights, shared that the issue of child labour had moved on from just being an economic issue. Amer Ejaz, Director, Budget Study Centre, CPDI, Tahir Dhindsa, senior journalist Ahmed Mukhtar Naqshabandi, Consultant World Bank, Shumaila Muzammil and Haris Jadoon also spoke on the occasion.

Karachi:Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan and Wahab Riaz have tested negative for Covid-19 for the second time and are now eligible to join the Pakistan men’s national cricket team in Worcestershire.

The players were retested on June 29, following a first negative test on June 26. PCB said that it will now start making their travel arrangements.

KARACHI:Due to a fire at the National Grid’s Jamshoro grid station, power supply to Karachi was temporarily disrupted in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The resulting shortfall of close to 200 MW necessitated temporary load management which was swiftly normalized as supplies from the National Grid improved. Karachi’s power supply position improved considerably with the complete restoration of 650 MW power supply from the National Transmission and Dispatch Company around two hours later. KE Management closely monitored the situation and remained in coordination with the National Grid teams throughout.

KARACHI:Standard Chartered Pakistan has today announced further details on how the Bank is providing short-term relief to communities who have been impacted through COVID-19.

The Bank is providing PKR19.7Mn to support communities in need. The Bank will be enabling the set-up of modular HDU units and free testing as well as providing rations to underserved communities and PPEs to our doctors and nurses.

This is in addition to the earlier commitment announced by the Bank of USD1 million to Red Cross and UNICEF programmes that are providing emergency relief to communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bank has donated PKR 10.2Mn for the purchase and implementation of 6 Modular HDU Units. With a rise in the number COVID-19 cases, the province of Sindh is facing a shortage of medically equipped units. All hospitals are running at almost full capacity, hospital rejection rates are rising and as the contagion continues to multiply. To support hospitals with capacity, HDU units contain 24 negative pressure air-conditioned modules. The Bank is providing six HDU units which include, generators, medical grade beds, a negative pressure regime, constant air circulation, oxygen supply manifolds, electricity, ante-room for doctors and restroom units.

In addition, the Bank has also given PKR 3Mn to support free Covid-19 testing of 500 people. The Bank has donated PKR 4.3Mn to enable the Orange Tree Foundation to distribute more than 850 Rations to the underprivileged areas.

The rations will be distributed to underserved communities which the bank supports through its community programmes Goal and the Standard Chartered Karachi United Community Football league. 50 rations will be distributed to Goal coaches and more than 800 rations will be given to the Coaches of Karachi United Football Club.

The Bank has donated PKR 2.2Mn which will be used to purchase more than 4500 Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs). These will be used by doctors and Paramedics of Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre.