PIMA expresses concern over health budget cuts

Islamabad: Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) has expressed deep concern over the 16 per cent slash in the federal health budget for 2025–26 as compared to the last year’s allocation, noting that it represents one of the lowest health budget allocations in the region. Pakistan spends less than 0.9 per cent of its GDP on health far below regional and global standards.

Central President of PIMA, Professor Atif Hafeez Siddiqui emphasized 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 like 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.

PIMA President urged the government to take urgent corrective steps in the light of the current health challenges.