Zafar Mirza

Mental illness during Covid-19

Mental illness during Covid-19

People with severe mental illness are more vulnerable and at risk from the effects of pandemic. Updated 07 Apr, 2023 09:32am
Health workforce jeopardy

Health workforce jeopardy

We have had many health ministers with no education or experience in their subject. Published 10 Mar, 2023 07:35am
Reimagining healthcare

Reimagining healthcare

The solution to our healthcare problem lies in strengthening primary health care, which we have ignored. Updated 27 Jan, 2023 08:57am
Dubious distinctions

Dubious distinctions

Current life expectancy in Pakistan is 67.7 years, while 149 countries have higher life expectancy than us. Updated 13 Jan, 2023 08:27am
Ten priorities for UHC

Ten priorities for UHC

We need a paradigm shift where primary healthcare is concerned... Published 16 Dec, 2022 07:17am
Climate change and health

Climate change and health

Environmental factors alone take the lives of around 13m people annually around the globe. Updated 04 Nov, 2022 08:16am
Pregnant in the flood

Pregnant in the flood

Usually, 15pc of pregnancies are high-risk, requiring special care. Updated 21 Oct, 2022 08:40am
Pregnancy, before the flood

Pregnancy, before the flood

Even in ‘normal’ circumstances, pregnancy is a high-risk condition for women in Pakistan. Updated 07 Oct, 2022 09:05am
Flood notes

Flood notes

We don’t have any appreciation of preventive healthcare and our system is entirely curative. Updated 09 Sep, 2022 09:15am
Healthcare during floods

Healthcare during floods

Well-meaning but unrelated medical aid and donations may do more harm than good. Updated 01 Sep, 2022 08:40am
Protecting breastfeeding

Protecting breastfeeding

Unfortunately, many doctors continue to play into the hands of the milk formula industry. Published 12 Aug, 2022 04:07am
Inspiration personified

Inspiration personified

Paul Farmer broke the mould of ‘mainstream’ and went where healthcare was most needed. Published 15 Jul, 2022 08:17am
The sixth wave

The sixth wave

PCR testing has drastically gone down in Pakistan and our disease surveillance system needs much more strengthening. Updated 01 Jul, 2022 09:01am
Tax tobacco now

Tax tobacco now

Of the 8m deaths that occur globally each year due to tobacco use, 170,000 are in Pakistan. Updated 03 Jun, 2022 08:37am
Covid-19 & the political unrest

Covid-19 & the political unrest

The new rulers need to pay attention to our state of preparedness for a recurrence of Covid-19. Published 22 Apr, 2022 07:40am
UHC & private health sector

UHC & private health sector

The private healthcare sector has not really become a partner to national health services. Published 08 Apr, 2022 08:23am