PMA warns budget cuts threaten stability of healthcare system
IV Report
KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has criticised
the federal government’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year,
expressing alarm over what it calls a “massive setback” for the country’s
already struggling healthcare system.
In a statement
issued on June 12, the PMA expressed deep disappointment at the significant
reduction in federal health sector funding, following the presentation of the
2025-26 budget in the National Assembly and Senate on June 10.
“The government
has chosen to inflict a significant blow to our already struggling healthcare
system,” the statement read. “We are facing a substantial 16% cut in the
federal health budget.” The overall allocation for the Ministry of National
Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHSR&C) has been slashed
from Rs 54.87 billion in the outgoing fiscal year to Rs 46.10 billion for the
next year.
Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, Secretary General of PMA (Central), highlighted the most alarming aspect of the budget: the nearly 47% cut to the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for health. “This fund is essential for building new hospitals, upgrading existing facilities, and strengthening health infrastructure,” he said. “With such a drastic cut, no new health projects will be initiated in the coming year. The focus will remain solely on maintaining the already overstretched existing facilities.”
Pakistan’s
health spending remains below 0.9% of its GDP—far lower than regional and
global averages. The PMA warned that at a time when the country faces
increasing infectious and non-communicable diseases and a growing population,
such cuts could have devastating consequences.
The PMA outlined several anticipated repercussions of the budget reductions, including:
·
Stalled development of new hospitals and health units, reducing access to medical care;
·
Neglected upgrades to existing facilities, risking further deterioration;
·
Strained medical education and training, worsening the shortage of skilled professionals;
·
Weakened disease surveillance, which could hinder timely response to outbreaks such
as dengue, polio, and other infections;
·
Exacerbated health workforce shortages, especially in rural and underserved regions.
The association
also criticised the government’s failure to introduce higher taxes on
unhealthy, ultra-processed food products—a move PMA believes could have
supported public health efforts and generated much-needed revenue for health
initiatives.
“A nation’s
health is its true wealth,” the PMA concluded. “Without adequate investment in
healthcare, we cannot hope to achieve sustainable development, economic
stability, or a prosperous future for our children.”
File photos courtesy: Social Track, Karachi.
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