Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has directed authorities to upgrade rural health centres across Punjab, providing them with medical and diagnostic facilities comparable to big hospitals. The health centres will serve as initial referral points for patients. A total of 225 revamped Rural Health Centres have been converted into new clinics, while 766 out of 1,147 health centres in the province have been completed, with 396 handed over to the Health Department. Maryam Nawaz also ordered an inquiry into the affairs of Mayo Hospital after receiving complaints from patients regarding non-availability of medicines and poor conditions.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1289503-maryam-directs-outsourcing-of-rural-health-centresPunjab's Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced plans to improve the province's health sector by providing medical facilities at par with big hospitals in its health centers. The CM directed authorities to operationalise OPD services at the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology Sargodha by June and Jinnah Hospital PIC-2 by September, while also starting services at the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital within stipulated time. She also agreed to establish a burn unit, cardiac center, and children's ward at district level, as well as a medical city around Lahore Ring Road. The CM was briefed on the progress of various initiatives, including the revamping of 225 Rural Health Centers (RHCs) into new clinics, the completion of 766 out of 1147 health centers in Punjab, and the provision of free medicines worth over Rs 6.7 billion in OPDs across the province.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40351702/cm-vows-to-bring-about-100pc-improvement-in-public-sector-hospitalsPunjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced plans to create 70-80 jobs with a salary package of Rs one lakh in the next phase of the Chief Minister Internship Programme, aiming to provide maximum opportunities for the younger generation. The programme is part of Punjab Sports Department's efforts to secure a bright future for youth, as over 65% of the province's population comprises young people who can play a key role in national development.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1289412-cm-internship-programme-ambit-to-be-broadened-ministerCanada is experiencing a surge in measles cases, with 96 confirmed cases reported in the week ending February 15, according to government data. The outbreak is linked to cases in New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba, where vaccination rates among school-aged children are declining. Health officials are urging individuals to get vaccinated before traveling abroad, particularly to countries where measles outbreaks have occurred, citing a recent case of an unvaccinated child who died from the disease in Texas.
https://www.voanews.com/a/canada-reports-increase-in-measles-cases-urges-vaccination/8001574.htmlSingapore's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced changes to the MediSave scheme, increasing the annual limit from S$300 to S$400 for Singaporeans and PRs aged 60 and above for outpatient medical treatment at polyclinics and specialist clinics. The limit for outpatient scans will be doubled from S$300 to S$600 in 2026. Additionally, subsidy limits will be raised for seven types of restorative dental treatments for lower-income families and seniors born before 1960. CHAS Orange cardholders will now qualify for dental subsidies for 10 basic procedures, including scaling and polishing. Seniors will also be able to use Flexi-MediSave to pay for root canal treatments and permanent crowns at CHAS clinics from mid-2026. The ministry plans to consolidate public healthcare clinical apps into a unified platform by 2027. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy will receive additional financial support for fertility preservation procedures, with means-tested subsidies of up to 80 per cent available from June.
https://channelnewsasia.com/singapore/medisave-withdrawal-limits-raised-outpatient-dental-bills-4984501MindRank's MRANK-106, a WEE1 and YES1 kinase inhibitor, is set to launch in a Phase I clinical trial in 2025. The drug has shown superior efficacy as a single agent and in combination therapies across various cancer models, with a preferential distribution in tissues and tumors over plasma, reducing the risk of hematotoxicity. MRANK-106 was developed using MindRank's AI-driven platforms, Molecule Pro and PharmKG, and marks the company's first officially nominated First-in-Class candidate. The drug has demonstrated remarkable preclinical efficacy in multiple hard-to-treat cancers with limited treatment options, and its FDA IND clearance is a significant milestone for MindRank.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/03/07/tmt-newswire/globenewswire/dual-wee1yes1-kinase-inhibitor-mrank-106-secures-fda-ind-clearance-positioning-mindrank-in-first-in-class-oncology-pipeline/2069237A survey conducted as part of the She Shakti Suraksha Survey 2025 has found that a majority of women in India do not feel safe traveling alone by public transport at night. The survey, which aimed to assess the safety and security of women in the country, revealed this concerning trend.
https://www.firstpost.com/india/she-shakti-suraksha-survey-2025-majority-of-women-say-do-not-feel-safe-travelling-alone-by-public-transport-at-night-13869577.htmlPakistan's new federal ministers include Mustufa Kamal from MQM-P, who has been assigned the Health portfolio, and Hanif Abbasi from PML-N, who will take charge as Railways minister.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40351806/here-is-the-full-list-of-pakistans-new-federalstate-ministers-advisers-and-sapmsNeelam Chaturvedi, the mother of Nishant Tripathi who died by suicide at a Mumbai hotel, has written a heart-wrenching note after performing her son's last rites with her daughter. In the note, she expressed her emotional pain and feelings of being a "living corpse" after losing her son to alleged harassment by his wife and aunt.
https://www.news18.com/viral/nishant-tripathis-mothers-heart-wrenching-note-after-son-ends-life-in-mumbai-hotel-i-feel-like-a-living-corpse-9252992.html