Warning that climate change is worsening the impact of malaria across Pakistan, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the country’s Ministry of National Health Services called for intensifying efforts to combat the infection.
Over 2 million malaria cases are reported annually in Pakistan. Both WHO and Pakistan called on all stakeholders to urgently intensify efforts to contain the growing threat to the country and the region.
Under the international theme, “Reinvest, reimagine, reignite,” WHO urged all stakeholders to join the big push to end malaria and support Pakistan’s efforts so that the response is not undermined by a lack of resources.
Calling malaria a global threat, Pakistan’s Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said, “We are seeing firsthand how climate change is increasing both the risk and the cases in our country. Despite challenges, Pakistan is fully committed to end this disease.”
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Pakistan’s battle against malaria was severely impacted by the floods in 2022, which triggered an additional 6.6 million cases over the 2022-2024 period, reported Dawn. Cases peaked in 2023 at 2.7 million, a steep rise compared to 399,097 reported in 2021.
Dr. Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Pakistan, urged all stakeholders to help in the effort to contain malaria. “We have proven that investing in malaria response saves lives, but we are also seeing how climate change is hampering progress, posing a threat not only for Pakistan, but also for the region and the world. 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,” he said.