ISLAMABAD: Heart disease is killing more women in Pakistan than previously understood, with female patients experiencing higher mortality rates, more severe symptoms and delayed diagnoses compared to men, according to a landmark hospital-based study published this week.

The paper, ‘Burden of cardiovascular disease in women: data from Pakistan’s largest cardiac hospital network,’ was released in npj Women’s Health this month and analyzed data from over 14,800 patients treated at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). It found that women with heart conditions are more likely to die than men, despite presenting at a younger age in some cases and with more complex symptoms.

“Women are diagnosed at a later stage, have delayed surgical referrals, and have poorer post-operative outcomes than males,” the researchers wrote. “There is a scarcity of data from South Asia due to underrepresentation of women in studies, which limits the development of evidence-based guidelines.” 

The study used prospective data collected from three patient registries, valve disease, coronary catheterization, and structural interventions, between October 2022 and June 2024. It discovered that females are more likely than males to suffer from valvular heart disease (VHD) and present at a considerably younger age. 

Females also had a higher likelihood of mitral valve disease than males, who were more likely to have aortic valve disease. Rheumatic heart disease was the leading cause of all left-sided VHD. 

Among women admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the study noted a “significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension” and that women experienced “a significantly higher rate of death, longer door-to-balloon time, and total ischemic time.”

The authors stressed that gender disparities in cardiac care in Pakistan are systemic, with women often excluded from clinical trials, underdiagnosed in hospitals and referred for surgical or interventional treatment far too late.

“Understanding the burden and presentation of cardiovascular disease in women is crucial to improving outcomes,” the paper stated, warning that Pakistan lacks gender-disaggregated cardiac data on a national level.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for women, and the burden is rising fastest in low- and middle-income countries. In Pakistan, non-communicable diseases account for over 60 percent of all deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Yet gender-specific health data remains scarce, and preventive screening for women is rarely prioritized.

The authors called for improved surveillance, early detection programs and “urgent inclusion of women in cardiovascular clinical research” to address the growing crisis. 

“The development of targeted awareness programs and community-based screening could play a critical role,” they wrote.

Pakistan’s public health system remains underfunded, and most cardiovascular care is concentrated in a few urban centers like NICVD. Experts warn that without immediate policy intervention, gender inequities in care could worsen as risk factors like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension continue to rise.

The researchers concluded:

“Tailored public health policies and investments in gender-sensitive health care delivery are urgently needed to reduce the cardiovascular disease burden in women.”

QUETTA: The chief executive of Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold said this week the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper and gold project in Pakistan’s Balochistan province will deliver “generational benefits” to the impoverished, conflict-hit region, as he met residents of Humai village near the mine site.

The Reko Diq project, jointly owned by Barrick and the governments of Pakistan and Balochistan, is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits. Long delayed by legal disputes and concerns over foreign investment, the mine is seen as a potential economic game changer in a province that has long suffered from poverty, underdevelopment, and armed separatist violence.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has for years seen unrest rooted in demands for greater autonomy and a larger share of natural resource revenues. Separatist militants have regularly targeted infrastructure, Chinese investments, and security forces. Against this backdrop, Barrick has emphasized its commitment to inclusive and transparent development.

“Reko Diq is not just a mining project; it is a multi-generational opportunity that promises sustained economic and social development for local communities for decades to come,” Barrick CEO Mark Bristow said in a statement on Monday released after he visited Humai, the closest village to the project site in District Chagai.

Bristow met local elders and development committee members, reaffirming the company’s goal to invest in job creation, skills training, education, and health care for Baloch communities.

“We are creating job opportunities not only through RDMC but also through our large network of partner and supplier companies that are coming onboard to support this major development,” Bristow said. “Currently, 75 percent of our workforce is from Balochistan — the majority from District Chagai — and we aim to continue strengthening this local representation.”

Bristow also highlighted recent investments in health care, including a new Mother and Child Health Center in Humai that offers maternal care services — the first such facility of its kind in the area.

“No meaningful development of this world-class mineral resource can happen without the active involvement and support of the people who live here,” he said.

Humai village chief Liaqat Malik and Par-e-Koh Community Development Committee Chairman Taj Muhammad thanked Bristow and RDMC for their engagement and development work, pledging continued community support for the project, according to the Barrick statement. 

The Reko Diq project is expected to begin production by 2028 and generate thousands of jobs while significantly boosting Pakistan’s export revenues. The Pakistani government has said it will ensure environmental protections and fair distribution of project benefits, though watchdog groups continue to call for greater transparency and community participation in oversight.