Category Archives: Health

Who are the killers?

Children and Youth, Health, Population, Women

By Zubeida Mustafa

IN her poignant collection of poetry, Ojagiyal Akhiyun ja Sapna (‘Dreams of Waking Eyes’), Amar Sindhu, a professor of philosophy at the Sindh University, writes of the ‘Ideal Woman’ (aadarshi aurat) and warns her that to move with society she will have to toss away her dreams and idealism like “gand kichre ain faltoo saamaan” (garbage and waste goods).

It is a sad but true observation for International Women’s Day ( March 8 ) that after decades of struggle for emancipation and empowerment, we still have women in Pakistan who are denied their dreams — especially if they don’t conform to society’s mores. Age is no consideration. Even innocent baby girls if they are unwanted have their lives snuffed out at birth. Continue reading Who are the killers? →

The polio story

Children and Youth, Development and Poverty, Health, Terrorism and Violence

By Zubeida Mustafa

PAKISTAN has failed to educate its children. It is now failing to protect them from communicable diseases like poliomyelitis, an untreatable crippling disease caused by a virus.

Preventive vaccines have however been developed and large regions of the world have been declared polio-free. It is, therefore, a pity that Pakistan is losing its war against polio. A spate of stories in the print media lately point to this tragedy. This is not at all surprising, given our criminal neglect of the health sector.

What is the polio story? When Pakistan launched itself on the long road to polio eradication in 1994, it showed remarkable success. It set up an effective surveillance cell and national immunisation days were undertaken. Continue reading The polio story →

Life begins at 60

Health, Social Issues

By Zubeida Mustafa
Source: Dawn

Retirement is now another phase that can be added to the seven ages of Man that Shakespeare wrote about. Its concept has changed radically, considering that medical science has added years and health to life.

Today people don’t ‘retire’ in the conventional sense of withdrawing from active life to wait for the inevitable end. Most people remain as active in their later years as they have been in any of their other ‘ages’. But the nature and intensity of their activities change. If there is one word I can use to describe this phase of life, it is ‘liberated’.
Continue reading Life begins at 60 →

Resurgence of Kidney Tourism in Pakistan

Health, Organ Trade and Donation

by Zubeida Mustafa
Source: The WIP

• Dr. Rizvi with one of his young patients. Photograph courtesy of SIUT. •

A version of the following article was originally published August 12, 2009. In light of recent reports of illegal kidney transplants in Pakistan, the author has updated the article. – Ed. has updated the article. – Ed.
Continue reading Resurgence of Kidney Tourism in Pakistan →