KARACHI: At least three Karachi residents have died from Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba, in the first two weeks of July, a spokesperson of the health department in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province said on Saturday, adding two of these deaths occurred this week.
Naegleria fowleri is found in freshwater sources like lakes, ponds, rivers, hot springs and poorly managed swimming pools and pipes connected to tap water. The micro-organism enters the human body through the nose and causes a sudden infection of the brain called naegleriasis.
In most cases, the infection is fatal.
It’s a relatively new problem in Pakistan. The first case of Naegleria fowleri infection was reported in Karachi in 2008. Since then, over a hundred people have died from the infection, with all three Karachi cases this year occurring in July.
“The latest deaths have occurred on Thursday,” said Ali Nawaz Channa, spokesperson for Sindh health department, while speaking to Arab News. “A 35-year-old died in Aga Khan Hospital while a 22-year-old garment factory worker died in Jinnah Hospital.”
The family of the latter was quoted in a health department report as saying that he visited a nearby swimming pool with friends last Sunday. Subsequently, he developed a fever on Monday and was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday. His condition deteriorated on Thursday and was put on ventilator support but could not survive.
The other patient was admitted to Aga Khan Hospital and died after “ten days of battle with high grade fever,” the official report added. The family suspects the infection was contracted from performing ablution at a nearby mosque.
Prior to them, another patient, a resident of Qur’angi area of the city, died last Friday, according to the health department.
A 2021 Sindh health department study conducted in 50 Union Councils of Karachi found that 95 percent of the water samples were completely unfit for human consumption, which experts believe is one of the major reasons behind the spread of the brain-eating amoeba.
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis, the brain infection caused by the amoeba, has common symptoms including extreme headache, changes in taste, high fever, sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms occur within 24 hours of infection, but since they resemble meningitis, the infection is rarely diagnosed early enough through a blood test.
Medical experts warn late treatment is not always effective.
Provincial health department of Sindh reports three deaths caused by brain-eating amoeba in Karachi
https://arab.news/gdyqb
Provincial health department of Sindh reports three deaths caused by brain-eating amoeba in Karachi
- Naegleria fowleri is an emerging problem in Pakistan, where the first case was reported in 2008
- Health department says all three deaths in Karachi took place during the ongoing month of July
Pakistan plans 3,000 EV charging stations as green mobility push gathers pace
- Roadmap unveiled by energy efficiency regulator and a private conglomerate amid early-stage EV rollout
- New EV Policy and related plans aim to install 3,000 EV stations by 2030, including 240 stations in current fiscal year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s energy efficiency regulator and a private conglomerate have unveiled an approved roadmap to establish 3,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Tuesday.
The announcement comes as Pakistan looks to build out basic EV charging infrastructure, which remains limited and unevenly distributed, largely concentrated in major cities. Despite policy commitments to promote electric mobility as part of climate and energy-efficiency goals, the absence of a nationwide charging network has slowed broader EV adoption.
Pakistan’s EV ecosystem is still at a formative stage, with progress constrained by regulatory approvals, grid connectivity issues and coordination challenges among utilities, regulators and fuel retailers. Expanding charging infrastructure is widely seen as a prerequisite for scaling electric transport for both private and commercial use.
According to APP, the roadmap was presented during a meeting between Malik Group Chief Executive Officer Malik Khuda Baksh and National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Managing Director and Additional Secretary Humayon Khan.
“Baksh ... in a meeting with Khan, unveiled the approved roadmap for establishing 3,000 electric vehicle charging stations across Pakistan,” APP reported. “Khan reaffirmed the authority’s full institutional backing and pledged to expand the initiative to 6,000 EV charging stations nationwide.”
The discussion reviewed hurdles delaying the rollout, including EV charger imports, customs duties, regulatory documentation and inter-agency coordination.
APP said Khan welcomed the proposal and sought recommendations for “internationally compliant EV charger brands,” while asking for a detailed “issue-and-solutions report within three days” to facilitate timely implementation of the national green mobility initiative.
Despite the issuance of 13 licenses by NEECA and the arrival of five EV charging units at designated sites, progress has been slowed by procedural bottlenecks, officials said. These include delays in electricity connections, prolonged installation of separate meters and pending no-objection certificates from power distribution companies and oil marketing firms, which continue to stall operational readiness.
Pakistan’s electric vehicle ecosystem is still in its early stages, with charging infrastructure far behind levels seen in more advanced markets. The government’s New Energy Vehicle Policy and related plans aim to install 3,000 EV charging stations by 2030, including 240 stations planned in the current fiscal year, but actual deployment remains limited and uneven, mostly clustered in major cities and along key urban corridors.
Despite regulatory backing, including the 2024 Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure and Battery Swapping Stations framework, progress has been slow. Many proposed stations have yet to become operational due to delays in grid connections and approvals, and public maps of nationwide charging coverage are not yet available.
Private players are beginning to install more chargers, and there are over 20 public EV charging points reported in urban centers, offering both slower AC chargers and faster DC options. However, such infrastructure is still sparse compared with the growing number of electric vehicles and the government’s long-term targets.
