ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has expressed deep concern over the 16 percent cut in the federal health development budget for 2025–26 compared to last year, noting that it represents one of the lowest health budget allocations in the region.
Pakistan spends less than 0.9 percent of its GDP on health far below regional and global standards.
The budget for the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHSR&C) has been reduced for the fiscal year 2025-26, despite increasing health challenges in the country. The combined non-development and development budget for the ministry has been cut from Rs 54.87 billion in the outgoing fiscal year 2024-25 to Rs 46.10 billion in next fiscal year, a reduction of Rs 8.77 billion.
Central President of PIMA Prof Atif Hafeez Siddiqui emphasised that this significant reduction comes at a time of growing health challenges and will directly impact hospitals and BHUs construction and equipment upgrades, medical education, disease surveillance systems and the training of medical professionals.
While operational spending on salaries and administration has increased, long-term development of healthcare infrastructure and services is being overlooked.
He highlighted that Pakistan continues to face a dual burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, alongside ongoing threats from infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS.
In this context, reducing development allocations compromises the country’s capacity to respond effectively and weakens overall health system resilience.
The PIMA president urged the government to take urgent corrective steps in light of current health challenges.
He called for the restoration and enhancement of the development health budget to support healthcare infrastructure and ensure long-term health improvements.
He further emphasised the need to prioritise disease control programmes, both communicable and non-communicable, and to reinforce medical education and health workforce training for a sustainable and resilient healthcare system.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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