Pakistan Navy win sailing event.

KARACHI -- Pakistan Navy has won the sailing event of 33rd National Games of Pakistan by clinching 08 gold, and 1 silver. The team of Pakistan Air Force was runner up of the event. Medal award ceremony of the sailing event was held at National Sailing Club Karachi. Commander Karachi Rear Admiral Zahid Ilyas graced the occasion as chief guest and gave away medals to winners of different teams. The chief guest admired the untiring efforts of Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Sailing Federation (PSAF) officials for successful conduct of the national event. Sailing event of the 33rd National Games of Pakistan was held at Karachi under the auspices of Pakistan Olympic Association and Pakistan Sailing Federation. Various competitions were conducted in eight different categories of boats including 470 Class, Laser Standard, RSX Windsurfing, Enterprise, Optimist, J/80 etc. 45 sailors including 10 females from Pakistan Army, Navy, PAF, WAPDA, KPK, Sindh and Balochistan participated in the event. The medal award ceremony was attended by a large number of dignitaries from Armed Forces of Pakistan, civil organizations and professional sailors from across the country.

95pc Pakistani population could be carrying bacteria: moot told

Karachi: Up to 95 per cent of the population of Pakistan could be carrying bacteria that makes them resistant to life-saving antibiotics, said speakers at the inaugural session of the annual National Health Sciences Research Symposium (NHSRS) of the Aga Khan University (AKU) in Karachi.

The theme of the 22nd three-day symposium is 'Antimicrobial resistance: an opportunity to transform global health'.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) happens when microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites change when they are exposed to antimicrobial drugs. Microorganisms that develop AMR are sometimes referred to as 'superbugs'. As a result, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spread to others.

A recent UN report warned that the threat of AMR can be a global health crisis that could lead to 10 million deaths every year by 2050. Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world, which is expected to rise to fourth place by 2050.

If not managed timely, AMR may lead to a 'health emergency-like situation' that might have implications for the country's health system as well as economy, they said.

Antibiotics have been a founding stone of modern medicine. Use of antimicrobials has enabled the implementation of novel treatment modalities such as cardiac bypass surgeries, joint replacements and bone marrow transplants. Management of infectious complications would not have been possible without antibiotics. Spread of resistant bugs is now taking us back in the pre-antibiotic era where advance medical interventions may become compromised, said Rumina Hasan, a professor of microbiology at AKU and chair of the 22nd NHSRS organising committee.

'Antimicrobials have also been instrumental in the control of infections in farm animals and in crops, allowing an increase in agricultural output and providing food security. Emergence of antimicrobial resistance threatens this progress,' she added.

Realising that AMR puts the gains of the Millennium Development Goals at risk and jeopardizes achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, WHO instituted a global action plan to tackle AMR in the 68th World Health Assembly in 2015, which was endorsed by all countries including Pakistan.

Zafar Mirza, Minister of State for Health, Government of Pakistan, and the chief guest on the occasion, expressed his government's commitment to work with provinces and public and private key stakeholders on the implementation of the National Action Plan for AMR.

'The misuse and overuse of antimicrobial medicines is fueling resistance worldwide and the Eastern Mediterranean Region is no exception. Drug-resistant infections are estimated to cause at least 700,000 deaths globally each year,' said Maha Talaat, WHO EMRO regional coordinator for infection prevention and control, and the keynote speaker. 'Implementation of AMR surveillance, hospital infection prevention and control, and antimicrobial stewardship are extremely important measures to curtail the spread of resistant bugs.'

'Although AMR is a global problem, estimates suggest that 89 per cent of deaths related to AMR in 2050 will occur in Africa and Asia. The UK Government has set up the Fleming Fund to provide the much needed resources to better understand and address AMR. Such Coordinated global actions...

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