Pakistan continues to be dealing with a polio outbreak as four fresh cases have emerged, pushing the national tally to 37 this year, according to health officials on October 19, 2024. Health officials said that the regional reference laboratory for polio eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed wild poliovirus type-1 (WPV1) in two children-one from each Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

In recent cases, a girl has been affected from Pishin, and two boys from Chaman and Noshki of Balochistan, and a girl from Lakki Marwat in KP. These are the first detections of the virus within Noshki and Lakki Marwat this year; isolated cases of poliovirus were previously reported within Chaman and Pishin. The province of Balochistan was the worst hit with 20 cases, Sindh had 10, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had five, and Punjab and Islamabad had one case each.

A gigantic fight against polio has been on going in Pakistan- especially in Balochistan and southern KP-over the last two years. Immunisation campaigns have often been suspended or delayed because of local protests, insecurity, and community boycotts. Consequently, quite a number of children did not get the necessary vaccinations, making existing patches of vulnerability for the virus to flow within those pockets.

Noshki, located near Afghanistan's border, and Lakki Marwat have also recently reported some positive environmental samples that confirm the virus is present here, said a local reference laboratory official. Samples of latest cases are currently under genetic sequencing for checking spread of virus and origin.

As the threat of polio continues to grow, Pakistan has vowed to mount a nationwide campaign against it beginning from October 28. With the zeal to tackle the menace in the most effective manner, over 45 million children under the age of five will be vaccinated across the country.

Today, Afghanistan and Pakistan remain one of the few countries where polio has not yet been eradicated. The WHO said the virus remains a potential serious public health threat in areas with low vaccination coverage and weak surveillance.

India On Alert Against Polio

The country declared itself polio-free since 2014 and has kept the disease on bay almost a decade with very robust vaccination programs; however, two cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus cases reported in recent days from Meghalaya create some amount of doubts over a possible resurgence. Experts observe that in India, despite these detections taking place, strong coverage of vaccination at 90-95% and mandatory surveillance measures keep the risk of this widespread outbreak at bay.

The experts point out, however, that such stable situation in India requires continued surveillance. "Countries like Pakistan and parts of Africa remain at a high risk because vaccination rates in those areas are much lower," Dr. Siddharth, public health expert, said. Vaccination is an indispensable act in order to avoid the spread of this incapacitating disease that manifests most importantly as a nervous system affliction leading to the paralysis of a long period.

With concerted efforts from health authorities, there is hope someday that the scourge of polio will be completely eradicated from the face of the earth and future generations will never suffer from its effects.

In a bid to ensure safe healthcare environments, India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has launched a nationwide Fire Safety Week across healthcare facilities.

The Fire Safety Week will be observed from May 4 to May 10 across the country. The theme of this year’s Fire Safety Week is “Safe Schools, Safe Hospitals, and a Fire-Safety Aware Society: Together for Fire Prevention”.

Fire safety in healthcare facilities is a critical component of patient safety and health system resilience. Hospitals house vulnerable patients, high electrical loads, oxygen-rich environments, and complex medical equipment, making them particularly susceptible to fire hazards.

"Fire Safety Week provides an important opportunity to reassess existing infrastructure, evaluate whether facilities have been adequately audited, and identify gaps and discrepancies that need to be addressed," said Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava, while launching the initiative.

Emphasizing capacity building, she stressed that healthcare professionals must be adequately trained and sensitized to effectively respond to fire emergencies.

How Will Fire Safety Week Be Conducted?

The nationwide campaign is designed to go beyond awareness and focus on actionable preparedness. States and healthcare institutions will:

• Conduct mock fire drills to test evacuation readiness
• Train staff in handling fire extinguishers and emergency protocols
• Review infrastructure such as alarms, sprinklers, and exits
• Promote compliance with fire safety norms
• Such drills have already shown impact in local initiatives. Additionally, capacity-building exercises will help administrators identify vulnerabilities and implement corrective measures.

Recognizing the increasing need to strengthen preparedness and ensure continuity of healthcare services during emergencies, the Health Ministry has also developed the National Guidelines on Fire and Life Safety in Healthcare Facilities (2026). This is a revised version of the Fire and Life Safety Guideline (2020).

What Do The Revised Guidelines Say

The primary objective of the guidelines is to provide a standardized and practical framework to strengthen fire prevention and response mechanisms in healthcare facilities. Key features of the revised guidelines include:

• Strengthened governance framework: The 2026 guidelines introduce clearly defined institutional roles, responsibilities, and committee structures, strengthening accountability beyond the action-oriented approach of the 2020 guidelines.
• Introduction of structured risk assessment approach: The guidelines incorporate systematic fire hazard assessment and risk categorization, enabling prioritization of safety measures based on vulnerability.
• Improved patient-centric evacuation planning: It expands evacuation planning with specialized protocols for vulnerable patient groups such as ICU, NICU, PICU, and operation theatre patients.
• Expanded coverage of fire safety infrastructure systems: It provides more comprehensive guidance on fire detection, suppression, electrical safety, medical gas systems, HVAC integration, and smoke management.
• Training and capacity building framework: It formalizes structured training programs, mock drills, and role-based preparedness mechanisms for healthcare personnel.
• Inclusion of detailed operational annexures: It introduced expanded annexures covering unit-specific (ICU, NICU, etc.) safety practices, evacuation methods, and fire safety equipment requirements.
• Strengthened institutional preparedness mechanisms: The guidelines integrate preparedness across governance, infrastructure, and response systems to enhance readiness during emergencies.
• Promotion of a safety-oriented organizational culture: It emphasizes continuous monitoring, periodic audits, and awareness activities to institutionalize long-term fire safety practices.

These guidelines are expected to:

• Strengthen fire safety preparedness across public and private healthcare facilities
• Reduce risk of fire-related incidents and associated loss of life
• Improve the safety of patients, healthcare workers, and visitors
• Enhance continuity of essential health services during emergencies
• Promote fire safety practices across states and union territories.

Amid rising obesity, early diabetes risk, and mental health issues among children, India has expanded its child health screening program to include behavioral disorders and non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare rolled out the screening measures under the revised Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) 2.0 guidelines.

The guidelines include steps to address mental health conditions and early risk factors for diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. These were released at the recently concluded National Summit on Good Practices and Innovations in Public Healthcare Service Delivery.

The screening services are free and will be delivered through mobile health teams at Anganwadi centers and schools, ensuring universal outreach and early identification.

What Does The RBSK 2.0 Guideline Include?

• The guidance document establishes, for the first time, a structured and standardized national framework for the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management of childhood diabetes. It calls for universal screening of all children from birth to 18 years.

• Suspected cases will undergo immediate blood glucose testing and timely referral to district-level health facilities for confirmatory diagnosis and treatment.

• A free-of-cost care package will be available at public health facilities. This includes screening, diagnostic services, lifelong insulin therapy, monitoring devices such as glucometers and test strips, and regular follow-up care. This will reduce the financial burden and ensure uninterrupted treatment for children diagnosed with diabetes.

• The initiative promotes the “4Ts” awareness framework—Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, and Thinner—enabling parents, teachers, and caregivers to recognize early warning signs of Type 1 diabetes.

• The document also emphasizes the need to provide structured training on insulin administration, blood glucose monitoring, emergency response, and daily disease management. It outlines evidence-based treatment guidelines, regular monitoring schedules, and protocols for preventing complications.

• RBSK 2.0 introduces digital health cards, real-time data systems, and integrated platforms for tracking, monitoring, and service delivery. These digital innovations are expected to enhance program efficiency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making across all levels of implementation.

Signs Of Diabetes In Children

Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus can develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) if it is not diagnosed on time, since they are insulin-dependent.

Dr. Archana Arya, Senior Consultant Pediatric & Adolescent Endocrinologist at the Institute of Child Health, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, told HealthandMe that DKA requires hospitalization for treatment, and if undiagnosed, it can lead to coma and death. Early diagnosis reduces morbidity and hospital admissions.

These children present with typical symptoms such as

• increased thirst,
• frequent urination,
• weight loss.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus may or may not present with typical symptoms, and children may develop long-term complications such as retinopathy and nephropathy if the condition goes undiagnosed for a prolonged period.

All overweight and obese children, especially those with a family history of Type 2 diabetes, those with acanthosis nigricans (thickened and dark skin behind the neck and underarms), and girls with PCOS are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and should be screened annually to prevent complications.

The expert added that children with diabetes are at a higher risk of depression (2–3 times higher prevalence), anxiety, and suicidal ideation (in 8–27 percent of youth) due to dietary restrictions and the burden of multiple insulin injections in Type 1 diabetes. Diabetic youth are 1.7 times more likely to attempt suicide, often through insulin overdose.

Why Is The Initiative Important?

Dr. Seema Dhir, Unit Head & Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Artemis Hospitals, told HealthandMe that good health in early life is essential for preventing non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Diabetes is often linked to poor lifestyle and health choices.

Early monitoring, detection, and effective management can reduce the growing burden of diabetes.

Dr. Munia Bhattacharya, Senior Consultant – Clinical Psychology, Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, emphasized that preventing non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity begins with maintaining both mental and physical well-being.

Providing mental support to children helps them cope better with stress and reduces the risk of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Children who are encouraged to express their feelings and seek help are less likely to experience anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies. Early awareness also builds coping skills, decision-making abilities, and healthier lifestyles—paving the way for long-term well-being and a more balanced, confident future.

Cancer treatment is often viewed as months of painful chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgeries that one might physically recover from but may continue to struggle with the trauma of for years. But now, thanks to a new injectable drug, cancer treatment may speed up for thousands of NHS patients in the UK. Pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, is that one-minute cancer drug injection that will likely speed up cancer treatment for thousands of patients—and soon, it will be available as a quicker jab instead of a half-hour drug.

What is pembrolizumab?

Pembrolizumab is an injectable drug prescribed to over 14,000 people in Britain every year. It works by stimulating the immune system to attack cancer cells on its own. Patients usually spend about two hours at a clinic when it is slowly administered for 30 minutes or more via a drip or IV line. However, this one-minute jab is now available in an injectable form and can be administered every three weeks or as a two-minute injection every six weeks.

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The drug has now been made more concentrated, with an extra component added to help the body absorb it faster. This shot is given in the stomach or the thigh instead of being infused through a vein in the arm. Doctors say that this rapid jab, which takes less than a minute to deliver, can help patients get back to their lives without having to spend hours in a hospital chair; for a cancer patient, regular hospital trips and multiple rounds of therapy can be physically exhausting and mentally draining.

How will pembrolizumab benefit cancer patients?

Pembrolizumab, according to doctors, will make cancer therapy and treatment more convenient for patients, and it can also bring down waiting times. It is one of the most successful cancer drugs and has been celebrated as a game-changer in treating several tumour types. The NHS uses the drug to treat 14 types of cancer, such as lung, breast, bowel, womb, stomach, head and neck, and melanoma.

The first-ever patient to receive pembrolizumab was Shirley Xerxes, 89, from St Albans, Hertfordshire, who was suffering from bowel cancer. She spoke several times about how it changed her will to live and how little time it took.

How does pembrolizumab work?

Pembrolizumab tells the immune system to recognise and kill cancer cells. It can fight head and neck, lung, breast, and cervical cancer. The drug is administered every three weeks as a one-minute injection, or it is given every six weeks as a two-minute injection, depending on the cancer type.