Public health crisis

The public health crisis in Pakistan is much like history in that it repeats itself time and again. The only difference is that history is usually characterised by a pattern of highs and lows. Public health, on the other hand, seems to be stuck in the same problematic loop. In 2020, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) launched an annual report citing a deteriorating public health landscape with much cause for concern. This year, in 2026, PMA launched its annual report once again highlighting a bleak picture of the public health arena.

In the span of six years, maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain worryingly high, water contamination and the lack of potable water remain a core issue, and poor health infrastructure is still one of many major problems. Not only that, but in the recent report, challenges like toxic air and escalating drug resistance have now intensified the crisis.

As is habitual of the government in most public emergencies here, it has continued to focus on temporary fixes instead of building adequate infrastructure that prevents healthcare disasters. While a large population of the country battles with diseases such as HIV, breast cancer, Hepatitis C and diarrhoea, Pakistan is unable to stock up on lifesaving medications and facilities. And even when long-term projects promising to improve public health, such as the K-IV Water Project, are undertaken, they remain lodged in a sea of corrupt bureaucratic practices - staying incomplete, underfunded and mismanaged.

But all that's not gold must be made to glitter. The country will readily spend billions on beautification projects and festival lighting. The National Horse and Cattle Show will acquire Rs300 million for the spectacle, and the National Tourism Festival will spend a portion of the Rs17 billion tourism-related project fund. All for the small cost of a sick and dying population.