The aim of NHM is to ensure progress towards the goals and targets set out in the National Health Policy, 2017 for ensuring "universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care services, accountable and responsive to people's needs".
Sher Abbas Stanikzai, a senior political deputy at Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry, stated that there was no valid reason to continue restricting education for women and girls, emphasising that the ongoing ban was not rooted in Islamic law.
This high-profile conference deliberately kept low-key till the last minute for “security reasons gathered 150 delegates, including ministers, ambassadors, scholars, and representatives from 44 Muslim and allied countries, as well as international organizations like UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, and the Saudi-funded Muslim World League.
While grassroots activism continues to challenge entrenched norms, the legislative battle against child marriages in Balochistan has been disappointingly sluggish.
Polio predominantly affects children under five and causes lifelong paralysis. Despite global eradication efforts, challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, and security threats have hindered progress in the region.
In 2014, the WHO certified India as polio-free after three years without a single case of wild poliovirus. This was a moment of triumph, celebrated globally as a landmark achievement in public health.
Carbon deposits have been found in the lungs of children as young as four undergoing unrelated surgeries. This condition, known as anthracosis or “black lungs,” is usually observed in adults exposed to heavy smoke and dust, such as coal miners and smokers.
Extreme heat has become a growing public emergency, depriving people of basic necessities and threatening their right to live in a healthy, safe, and dignified environment.
Despite being rich in natural resources such as natural gas, coal, gold, and copper, Balochistan remains one of the poorest regions in Pakistan. The benefits of resource extraction projects largely bypass the local population, fuelling resentment.