Islamabad [Pakistan], April 27 (ANI): The World Health Organization (WHO) and Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services have issued a grave warning over a sharp rise in malaria cases across the country, linking the surge directly to the impacts of climate change, Dawn reported.
With over two million cases reported annually, officials stressed that intensified action is urgently needed to curb the growing threat to Pakistan and the wider region. The warning came on World Malaria Day, as both WHO and Pakistani authorities called for a renewed, collective push to combat the disease.
“Malaria is a major global threat, and we are seeing first-hand how climate change is increasing both the risk and the cases in our country,” said Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal. He emphasized that ending malaria is not just a health priority but an investment in a safer, healthier, and more equitable future for all nations.
Under the international theme “Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” WHO urged governments, organizations, and communities to escalate support for malaria elimination efforts. Pakistan’s battle against malaria was severely hampered by the devastating 2022 floods, which triggered an additional 6.6 million cases between 2022 and 2024, Dawn reported.
Cases peaked in 2023 at 2.7 million—a stark rise from the 399,097 cases reported in 2021. Consequently, WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region saw malaria cases escalate to an estimated 10.2 million in 2023, marking a 137 percent increase since 2015.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan has made significant strides over the past decade in malaria prevention and treatment. Working alongside WHO and with funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Pakistan screened more than 11.4 million suspected cases and treated 2 million confirmed malaria patients in 2024 alone. Additionally, the distribution of 7.8 million insecticide-treated nets across 22 high-burden districts contributed to a reduction in cases from 2.7 million in 2023 to 2 million last year.
“WHO is proud to partner with Pakistan to continue saving lives by preventing and treating malaria,” said Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Pakistan. However, he cautioned that climate change is undermining hard-won gains and poses a threat not only to Pakistan but to the entire region.
“We know how to end malaria, and we can do it if all stakeholders invest and work together to reinforce the response and adapt to the new risks triggered by climate change,” Luo added.
Data collected from 5,575 medical facilities across 80 endemic districts reveals a clear upward trend in malaria cases correlated with rising temperatures and frequent floods. Other contributing factors include deepening poverty, limited access to quality diagnostics and treatment, security challenges in Balochistan, the tribal areas, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as healthcare access gaps in parts of Sindh, Dawn reported.
While malaria control efforts have shown effectiveness, experts underscored that sustained and coordinated action will be crucial to overcoming the impacts of climate change, protecting lives, and securing a healthier future for Pakistan. (ANI)
About The Author
