Pakistan Faces Rising Health Crisis as Global Funding Declines: Report

A new report warns that Pakistan faces a significantly growing health risk as international funding directed at the country's health sector continues to shrink, threatening the sustainability of critical public health programmes. The findings highlight a structural vulnerability in Pakistan's health financing model, which remains heavily dependent on external donor support for disease control, primary care, and emergency response infrastructure.

The report identifies declining contributions from major multilateral and bilateral donors as the primary driver of the funding gap, with particular concern raised over the impact on vaccination campaigns, tuberculosis control, and maternal and child health services. Health economists cited in the report caution that without domestic budgetary compensation, service delivery in underserved regions could deteriorate sharply.

Pakistan's per capita health expenditure remains among the lowest in South Asia, and the public health system already operates under significant strain. The withdrawal or reduction of international support, particularly from agencies such as the Global Fund and USAID-backed programmes, is expected to widen existing deficits in essential health coverage.

Health policy experts are calling on the federal government to urgently increase domestic health allocations and explore alternative financing mechanisms including public-private partnerships and regional health cooperation frameworks. The report is expected to be submitted to relevant government ministries and multilateral stakeholders in the coming weeks.