Pakistan’s ‘serious’ hunger level draws PMA warning on nutrition crisis

Country ranks 106th out of 123 nations; association demands urgent food, health and agricultural reforms

IV Report

KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed concern over the country’s dismal ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2025, where Pakistan stands at 106th out of 123 countries, reflecting what the association called a “serious and worsening” level of hunger nationwide.

According to the 2025 Global Hunger Index released recently, Pakistan has a score of 26.0, indicating a “serious” level of hunger. The ranking places the country among those struggling to ensure basic food and nutrition for their populations. The GHI score is based on four indicators: undernourishment — the share of the population with insufficient caloric intake; child stunting — low height for age, reflecting chronic undernutrition; child wasting — low weight for height, reflecting acute undernutrition; and child mortality — deaths before the age of five, often linked to poor nutrition and unhealthy environments.

In Pakistan, 16.5 percent of the population is undernourished, 33.6 percent of children under five are stunted, and 10 percent are wasted, while the under-five mortality rate stands at 5.8 percent. The GHI report is jointly published by the Irish humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide, the German aid agency Welthungerhilfe, and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV).

In a statement issued on October 17, PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said the findings represent not only an economic failure but a catastrophic public health emergency that threatens the cognitive and physical future of the nation. “Our hospitals and clinics are overburdened not just with acute illnesses, but with the tragic long-term consequences of malnutrition. When nearly 40 percent of our children are stunted, we are condemning an entire generation to reduced potential,” he remarked.

The PMA urged the government to declare a national nutrition emergency and to prioritise interventions during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life — from conception to two years of age — to combat stunting and wasting. It called for targeted subsidies and social safety nets to ensure economic access to nutritious food, as well as investments in clean water and sanitation to improve child health outcomes.

Emphasising sustainable solutions, the PMA demanded a comprehensive agricultural reform policy that promotes climate-resilient farming, increased research and innovation, and the economic empowerment of farmers. “Food security is inseparable from national security,” the PMA concluded, urging a “Health-in-All-Policies” approach and an “Agricultural Revolution” to safeguard the nation’s future. 

Chart courtey: GHI