KP to spend less on education, health than Punjab

 

ISLAMABAD: Comparison of provincial budgets for the next financial year 2014-15 shows that despite all its claims, the PTI’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has set aside a lower percentage for education and some other crucial sectors as compared to the Punjab government.
According to a study, a comparison of figures proposed for the budget of the next financial year for the KP and Punjab provincial governments show that PTI’s KP government plans to spend 21.49 percent of its total spending on education whereas the Punjab government will spend 27.3 percent.

Similarly, the KP government has fixed 6.17 percent for the health sector whereas Punjab has planned to spend 12.1 percent on this sector which directly benefits poor citizens.In the same way, KP will spend 0.39 percent on agriculture while Punjab will spend 1.49 percent.

KP has fixed 9.8 percent of total spending as its development budget whereas Punjab has fixed a massive 34.5 percent for the same. KP will spend 3.01 percent on transport and communication whereas Punjab plans to spend 11.09 percent on transport.

PTI has been claiming since long to improve its education sector by spending large shares of the budget but its figures are still on the lower side if compared to Punjab in this important sector.The party chief has been shown sitting on school desks monitoring the educational system in newspaper pictures but the same intention is not reflected in the budget figures. Apparently, the photo-shoots of the PTI chairman seem to give an impression as if he is working hard to improve different sectors of the provincial government but in fact, it is a classic case of ‘looking-busy-doing-nothing’.

Sheep genome shows links between wool, health: study

WASHINGTON: Scientists have mapped the entire genome of sheep, paving the way to improve the health of the humble farm animal for better meat and wool.

After eight years of work on the entire genetic makeup of the species, the researchers also found the secrets of the sheep´s digestive system and unique fat metabolism process that allows it to produce and maintain its thick coat.

Sheep became a species distinct from goats and other ruminants about four million years ago, with a four-compartmented stomach that can convert rich plant materials into animal protein, according to the study.

That digestive feature allows sheep to easily feed on a diet of low-quality grass and other plants.

The study published in the journal Science was the culmination of a project involving 26 institutions from eight countries that is part of the International Sheep Genomics Consortium.

Researchers hope their findings will help develop DNA tests to improve stock through accelerated breeding selection programs, and to further research to mitigate diseases affecting the animals.

"Given the importance of wool production, we focused on which genes were likely to be involved in producing wool," said Brian Dalrymple, project leader at Australia´s national science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.

"We identified a new pathway for the metabolism of lipid in sheep skin, which may play a role in both the development of wool and in the efficient production of wool grease (lanolin)."

There are about a billion sheep around the world -- including around 70 million in Australia alone. So the researchers predicted their work could have a "massive impact" for the rural economy due to the sheep service as a significant source of meat, milk and wool products.

Researchers from Australia, Britain, China, France, Denmark and New Zealand participated in the study. (AFP)

Saudi health minister sacked as MERS toll rises

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia dismissed its health minister on Monday just days after he visited a hospital at the centre of growing concerns about the kingdom's handling of the MERS virus.

Abdullah al-Rabiah was named adviser to King Abdullah and replaced by Labour Minister Adel Fakieh, said a royal decree carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia has registered by far the largest number of infections with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the disease's discovery in September 2012.

Of 243 confirmed cases across the planet, 231 have been in Saudi Arabia, according to the World Health Organisation.

Of those, 81 people have died, most recently two foreigners in the commercial capital Jeddah where there have been mounting fears of a potential surge in infections.

Panic over the spread of the virus among medical staff in Jeddah triggered the temporary closure of a hospital emergency room in the city earlier this month.

The now fired minister visited the facility last week in a bid to reassure the public but on Wednesday at least four doctors at the King Fahd Hospital reportedly resigned after refusing to treat MERS patients.

MERS was initially concentrated in eastern Saudi Arabia but it now affects other areas.

The virus is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.

Experts are still struggling to understand MERS, for which there is no known vaccine.

Saudi health minister sacked as MERS toll rises

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia dismissed its health minister on Monday just days after he visited a hospital at the centre of growing concerns about the kingdom's handling of the MERS virus.

Abdullah al-Rabiah was named adviser to King Abdullah and replaced by Labour Minister Adel Fakieh, said a royal decree carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi Arabia has registered by far the largest number of infections with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the disease's discovery in September 2012.

Of 243 confirmed cases across the planet, 231 have been in Saudi Arabia, according to the World Health Organisation.

Of those, 81 people have died, most recently two foreigners in the commercial capital Jeddah where there have been mounting fears of a potential surge in infections.

Panic over the spread of the virus among medical staff in Jeddah triggered the temporary closure of a hospital emergency room in the city earlier this month.

The now fired minister visited the facility last week in a bid to reassure the public but on Wednesday at least four doctors at the King Fahd Hospital reportedly resigned after refusing to treat MERS patients.

MERS was initially concentrated in eastern Saudi Arabia but it now affects other areas.

The virus is considered a deadlier but less-transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that erupted in Asia in 2003 and infected 8,273 people, nine percent of whom died.

Experts are still struggling to understand MERS, for which there is no known vaccine.

Balochistan CM enquires Mir’s health in hospital

KARACHI: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik visited the hospital in Karachi, where Hamid Mir is under treatment, and enquired about the health of injured Geo News anchorperson.

Talking to media on the occasion, the Balochistan chief minister said that Hamid Mir is a voice of Baloch people and he (Mir) is their ‘natural companion’.

He further said that Baloch people would not leave Mir alone during his hard time.

Dr Malik also offered that Balochistan government could bear the expenses of Hamid Mir’s medical treatment if the family members of the renowned journalist and Geo News management granted permission.

US health secretary resigns after website fiasco

Kathleen Sebelius (65), Barack Obama’s Health and Human Services Secretary, resigned on Thursday a few months after the disastrous rollout of the ‘Obamacare’ website, healthcare.gov, which became a magnet for criticism of the President’s landmark Affordable Care Act.

Although Republicans, many of whom have been fiercely critical of the healthcare reform policies of the White House, called for Ms. Sebelius’ resignation last fall, she ended her five-year tenure only after the enrolment period ended at the end of last month.

A White House official noted that Mr. Obama would formally make announce that Ms. Sebelius would step down on Friday and that he would also nominate the White House Budget Office Director Sylvia Matthews Burwell to replace her, subject to Senate confirmation.

“The President wants to make sure we have a proven manager and relentless implementer in the job over there, which is why he is going to nominate Sylvia,” said Denis McDonough, White House Chief of Staff.

He added that Last month, Ms. Sebelius had approached Mr. Obama earlier and said to him that the March 31 deadline for sign-ups under the healthcare law “provided an opportunity for change,” and that he would be “best served by someone who was not the target of so much political ire.”

Ms. Sebelius departs from the Obama administration as strong favourite of top Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who defended the Secretary’s record, saying, “From Day One, [Ms.] Sebelius has remained laser-focused on a single purpose: to make health care a right, not a privilege, for all Americans. Her leadership has been forceful, effective and essential.”

Notwithstanding the controversy over the healthcare.gov website, which at points appeared to collapse under the sheer momentum of enrolments last year, Ms. Sebelius also departs with at least part credit for exceeding the ‘Obamacare’ enrolment targets to more than 7.5 million people.

However the website controversy has apparently come at a high political cost for the President and his party, leading to Democrats’ poll numbers to plunge from its highs during the 2013 government shutdown. Some predict that the issue may also fuel Republicans’ midterm elections campaign this November.

US Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius quits over Obamacare

KARACHI: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s ceasefire of 40 days which it announced to initiate peace talks with the government has expired.

The militant outfit denounced terrorist attacks which took place during the ceasefire period.

The TTP had declared ceasefire after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced to hold talks with the militant organization in a bid to establish peace in the country.

However, during the ceasefire, only one formal meeting was held between the Taliban and the government committee.

The TTP had announced ten-day extension after the expiry of one-month ceasefire. They, however, said that the government had not responded positively over their ceasefire.

Three more polio cases in NWA on World Health Day

PESHAWAR: As World Health Day was being marked on Monday, three new polio cases were reported from North Waziristan Agency (NWA) that took the number of detected polio cases in Pakistan to 43 this year.

According to sources in the Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell, laboratory confirmed wild poliovirus (type-1) in the tribal agency wracked by Taliban-led militancy. Poliovirus has turned endemic in North Waziristan Agency as this year alone 33 cases of polio (76.7percent of total) were detected in the agency. Three cases this year have already been reported from the neighbouring Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This situation has been hobbling government efforts to purge the country of the disease.

The sources said that a 34-month-old Bushra, daughter of Noor Ali Khan, was confirmed with the poliovirus. Belonging to Mami Rogha village Manzarkhel in tehsil Miranshah, she got her leg paralysed on March 20 and laboratory test confirmed her with poliovirus.

Ashiqullah, son of Noor Badshah, who ages 12 months, had onset of paralysis on March 14. The child’s family comes from Spalgai, village Borakhel Sir Kot in tehsil Miranshah. Another 11-month-old Abuless son of Allah Dar Khan, whose paralysis started on March 19, was also confirmed to have afflicted by the poliovirus. He belongs to Saidgai, village Dewagor Saidgai in tehsil Miranshah.

Two of the victims are boys and one girl. The new polio detections increased the number of polio cases in Pakistan to 43 in 2014. It’s alarming that 42 out of the 43 cases were reported from Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the regions affected by years of militancy. Attacks on polio workers have also aggravated situation and posed serious challenge to the government to deal with poliovirus and attacks at the same time. A whooping 36 cases were detected in Fata and six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Only one case this year was reported from Baldia Town Karachi.

In the same time period last year, only six cases were detected in the country against 43 this year. Also, seven districts/agencies were infected by poliovirus this year against the six last year for the same time period.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has launched the “Sehat Ka Insaf” programme to accelerate and ensure polio vaccination in Peshawar, the provincial capital that was described by the WHO the “world’s largest reservoir” of polio. Last Sunday, the programme was extended to three other districts, Mardan, Charsadda and Swabi.

However, in the tribal areas polio vaccination to children has become almost impossible due to militants’ opposition. According to the Prime Minister’s Polio Monitoring and Coordination Cell sources none of the victims in North Waziristan Agency or South Waziristan had received polio drops in 2014. The region remains vulnerable to poliovirus attacks as preventive measures could not be undertaken.

According to the sources, no supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs) could be carried out in North and South Waziristan agencies since June 2012, causing the current outbreak of poliovirus. In 2013, 37 cases of wild polio were reported while this year the number rose to 33. In addition to it, 41 Sabin-2 like virus cases in 2013 and five in 2014 were reported from North Waziristan.

White House: 7 million signed up for health care

AP President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden, gestures as he speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

President Barack Obama celebrated a better-than-expected 7.1 million sign-ups for health coverage that he said should end the debate over whether his signature legislation should be repealed.

Mr. Obama announced the 7 million threshold that once was seen as unattainable, even as the number still could climb. People who started applying but couldn’t finish before the Monday midnight deadline can have extra time, as do potential enrolees whose special circumstances kept them from signing up in time.

“The Affordable Care Act is here to stay,” Mr. Obama declared in a feisty Rose Garden speech the day after the deadline for Americans to enrol.

The 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act has been the No. 1 legislative achievement of Mr. Obama’s presidency.

Eager to deny Mr. Obama any kind of legislative legacy, Republicans have bitterly opposed the law which they say swells big government and represents an unprecedented federal intrusion in the U.S. economy.

It remains unclear how well the Affordable Care Act will work and whether its implementation will see Americans change their views on a law that remains unpopular and widely misunderstood.

About 50 million Americans lacked health care coverage as the law began taking effect, and supporters hope it will significantly reduce the ranks of the uninsured.

But the administration has not said how many of those who already have signed up closed the deal by paying their first month’s premiums. Also unknown is how many were previously uninsured, the real test of Mr. Obama’s health care overhaul.

In addition, the law expands coverage for low-income people through Medicaid, the government health care program for the poor, but only about half the states have agreed to implement that option.

The months ahead will show whether the Affordable Care Act will meet its mandate to provide affordable health care coverage or whether high deductibles, paperwork snags and narrow physician networks make it a bust.

After winning control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 elections, Republicans have voted more than 50 times to revoke or seriously undermine the program, widely known as “Obamacare.” Those bills have never made it to the floor in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

The law is at the centre of competitive congressional races across the country. Michael Steel, spokesman for Republican House Speaker John Boehner, argued that the law was harming the American people.