Author: Sameed Chaudhary

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Atlas 2024, around 34.5 million Pakistani adults are living with diabetes, and the country now has the highest age-standardised diabetes prevalence in the world at 31.4 percent. Roughly one in three adults in Pakistan is affected, and an estimated 8.9 million people are undiagnosed, per The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. That is a serious gap — because the early signs of diabetes are easy to dismiss and the damage builds quietly. The sections below walk through the early symptoms in both Urdu and English, explain the main risk factors for Pakistani adults, and…

Long work hours, heavy traffic on Lahore’s main arteries, financial pressures, and the constant buzz of family obligations — stress has become a daily reality for millions of people across Pakistan. Most people push through it, assuming that feeling overwhelmed is just part of life. That assumption can cost them their health. According to the WHO, stress-related disorders are among the fastest-growing mental health concerns in South Asia, and Pakistan is no exception. A local study published on ResearchGate found that most Pakistanis rely on informal coping strategies — talking to family, listening to music, religious practices — rather than…

Kidney stones are one of the most common urological problems seen in Pakistan, and Karachi’s heat and humidity make the city particularly prone to cases. The condition forms when minerals and salts concentrate in the urine and crystallize inside the kidneys — a process that can go unnoticed for months or cause sudden, intense pain once a stone begins to move. Urologists across Karachi report a steady rise in patients presenting with renal colic, especially during the summer months when dehydration is common. A review published in the Annals of Medicine and Surgery (2022) identified dehydration and dietary imbalance —…

Male infertility in Pakistan carries more stigma than it deserves — and that stigma often delays the very care that could help. Many couples spend years assuming the problem lies with the wife, when research from Pakistan’s own medical institutions shows that male factors contribute to a significant share of conception difficulties. The sooner both partners are evaluated, the sooner a clear path forward emerges. A study published in the Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences (2025) found that roughly 22% of couples in Pakistan experience infertility, with male factors identified as the predominant cause in a substantial proportion of those…

Frizzy hair is something most people in Pakistan deal with at some point — whether it’s the thick monsoon air in Karachi turning a fresh blowout into a puff cloud, or the dry winter winds in Islamabad leaving strands brittle and flyaway. The problem is not just cosmetic. Persistent frizz often signals that the hair cuticle is damaged or dehydrated, and without the right care it tends to get worse over time. Pakistan’s climate is particularly unforgiving for hair. Lahore and Karachi regularly see humidity levels above 70% during the monsoon months, and the hard water common in most Pakistani…

چھاتی کا کینسر (breast cancer) پاکستان میں خواتین کو سب سے زیادہ متاثر کرنے والا کینسر ہے۔ بہت سی خواتین اس کی ابتدائی علامات کو نظرانداز کر دیتی ہیں کیونکہ وہ درد کے بغیر ظاہر ہوتی ہیں۔ چھاتی کے کینسر کے بارے میں مزید جانیں According to the WHO Pakistan office, roughly 90,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed in Pakistan every year, and around 40,000 women lose their lives annually — largely because the disease is caught too late. Pakistan has the highest breast cancer rate in Asia, with 1 in 9 women likely to develop it in her…

Eid ul Azha — Bari Eid as most Pakistani families call it — is one of the most joyful occasions of the year. The aroma of fresh qurbani gosht drifting from every kitchen, the sound of the takbeer in the morning, and the warmth of extended family gathered around a dastarkhwan piled high with karahi and nihari: it is a celebration that touches every sense. The feasting, though, can take a toll. Pakistani hospitals in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad consistently report a spike in emergency visits in the days after Eid ul Azha — mostly stomach-related complaints, cholesterol flare-ups, and…

Eid ul Azha 2026 falls on Wednesday, May 27 — and for millions of Pakistani families, preparations are already well underway. Livestock markets in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad have been buzzing for weeks, with goats, cows, and camels filling up the mandis ahead of Bakra Eid. The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee officially confirmed the date after reviewing moon sighting reports from across the country, putting an end to any uncertainty. This year, the Eid date lands on a weekday, which means Pakistan gets a generous five-day break when the three official public holidays run straight into the weekend. Families in Rawalpindi,…

Every summer, fruit stalls across Lahore, Karachi, and Multan overflow with trays of Chaunsa, Sindhri, and Anwar Ratol. Pakistanis eat mango the way other cultures eat apples — daily, generously, and without much thought about why it is so good for the body. As it turns out, there are very good reasons. Pakistan ranks among the world’s top mango-producing countries, with Multan and the broader Punjab belt responsible for much of the harvest. The fruit has been part of South Asian food culture for over 4,000 years, and modern nutritional research is now confirming what traditional medicine long suggested: mango…

Heatstroke symptoms in Pakistan are being missed every day — and the delay is costing lives. Heatstroke is a life-threatening emergency in which the body’s core temperature rises above 40°C (104°F) and the sweating mechanism fails completely. According to the WHO, it can cause permanent damage to the brain, kidneys, heart, and muscles within minutes. Pakistan records thousands of heatstroke cases every summer, with Karachi alone reporting over 1,500 cases in a single season. With the Pakistan Meteorological Department warning of above-normal temperatures across Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan in 2026, every Pakistani family needs to recognise these signs before it…