Dengue Fever – Symptoms and Preventions

 

Edited version published in Pakistan Observer on Oct. 26, 2010

 

While dengue has existed since decades in many parts of the world in various forms, the killer disease emerged as a major health concern in Pakistan for last few years, and especially after the heavy floods in Pakistan, the disease has been witnessed on an alarming level.

 

As a nation, we have been in the habit of shoving off even hazardous issues until they reach a height which cannot be ignored. Only then we take corrective steps and preventive measures. Same is the case with the deadly viral disease which regularly surface almost every year but the concerned authorities have failed to come up with any comprehensive preventive plan to face deal with this fatal disease.

Rural women’s role in society dev highlighted

Published in Pakistan Observer (16 Oct. 2010)
Sana Jamal

Islamabad - To highlight the importance and address the woes of rural women, Oct 15 was celebrated as ‘World Rural Women’s Day’ all over the world.
To mark the World Rural Women Day in Pakistan, a two-day annual conference was arranged by Potohar Organisation for Development Advocacy (PODA) in collaboration with 56 other organizations at Lok Virsa, Islamabad.Firday’s conference was presided over by Federal Minister for Culture Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani and inaugurated by Farzana Raja, Member National Assembly and Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme.

The theme of the conference was “Rural Women, Disaster Mitigation and Peace” where the rural women from across the country participated to articulate the problems they were going through especially after the floods.

“We have chosen the theme of disaster because the rural women are currently in great miseries due to the havoc played by the flood in various parts of the country,” said PODA Director Samina Nazir.

This day is celebrated worldwide to coincide with the World Food Day, in order to emphasize the role played by rural women in food production and food security.Rural women of Pakistan constitute the invisible work force which keeps the family and the rural economy alive, but their labour often goes under-rewarded.

Pakistan rural women are major contributors in agriculture and production fields. A rural woman’s work ranges from crop production, livestock production to cottage industry to household and family maintenance. However her role and dignity has yet not been recognized even after her extended involvement in economy and family at the same time.

'PARO' - Curative Robot inroduced in Islamabad

Edited story published in Pakistan Observer on 8 Oct. 2010
Sana Jamal

Islamabad - In this modern technological age when human beings have become machines and can spend little time with their aging elders or ailing children, a friendly mechanical robot named PARO has emerged to fill gap of emotional attachments and psychological therapy.

PARO – which stands for Partner Robot has been developed by Japanese scientist, Dr. Takanori Shibata and was introduced in Islamabad’s National University of Science and Technology (NUST) on Thursday.

Dr. Takanori Shibata, Senior Research Scientist, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Japan delivered a lecture titled as “Science Lecture on Robot-Life Innovation with Therapeutic Robot: Paro” and explained the work and ability of friendly-looking little Paro which can cure elderly people as well as sick children in hospitals and home.

Poetry book for children launched

Published in Pakistan Observer on 5th Oct. 2010

Islamabad— Zawiya, a literary organisation launched Shehnaz Rauf’s poem book for children titled as ‘Roshni’ at National language Authority (NLA), in Islamabad on Monday.

The author, Shehnaz Rauf, a teacher at OPF College recited a few of her poems at the ceremony and delivered a lecture on the psychology of the children.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Javed (of Allama Iqbal Open University) pointed out that Pakistan lags behind in producing quality literature for children hence there is a dire need to promote the children's literarure industry in the country.