The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) today voiced serious concerns regarding the substantial 16% reduction in the federal health development budget for the fiscal year 2025-26.
This cutback marks one of the lowest regional health budget allocations, with the nation spending less than 0.9% of its GDP on health, a figure starkly lower than both regional and global averages.
Prof Atif Hafeez Siddiqui, the Central President of PIMA, pointed out that this critical decrease arrives amidst escalating health challenges, potentially hindering essential services including the construction and modernization of hospitals and Basic Health Units (BHUs), as well as medical education, disease monitoring systems, and professional training. While expenditures for salaries and administration are on the rise, investments in crucial healthcare infrastructure and services are being neglected.
Prof Siddiqui further elaborated on the dual health threats faced by the country, from noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular issues to persistent infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS. He stressed that the reduction in development funding is likely to compromise Pakistan”s ability to respond effectively to these health crises and undermine the resilience of its health systems.
In response to these dire circumstances, the PIMA President has called on the government to urgently revise and increase the health development budget. He emphasized the necessity to bolster healthcare infrastructure and ensure sustained improvements in health outcomes. Additionally, Prof. Siddiqui advocated for prioritizing disease control initiatives and strengthening the education and training of the health workforce to build a more sustainable and robust healthcare system.
The concerns raised by PIMA highlight a critical juncture for Pakistan”s healthcare policy, with significant implications for the nation”s health security and public wellbeing.