Karachi: An analysis of the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2024-25 reveals significant disparities in Pakistan’s communicable disease burden, with malaria and hepatitis C emerging as leading health challenges. The survey highlights the uneven distribution of disease risks across different provinces and between rural and urban areas, underscoring the need for targeted public health strategies.
According to Gallup Pakistan’s analysis of the PSLM/HIES 2024-25 Social Indicators, the disease burden is not dominated by a single epidemic but consists of multiple overlapping risks. Malaria has a national prevalence of 43 per 1,000, with a pronounced rural impact, especially in Sindh where prevalence reaches 170 per 1,000. Meanwhile, hepatitis C affects 599 per 100,000 people, signaling long-term systemic challenges in prevention and infection control.
The data also reveals that while dengue and tuberculosis have lower national prevalence rates, they exhibit distinct regional patterns. Dengue is more prevalent in urban areas, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), with an urban prevalence of 10 per 1,000. Tuberculosis, persisting at 3 per 1,000 nationwide, is more evenly distributed, reflecting deeper socio-economic issues like poverty and overcrowding.
Hepatitis B and C are described as Pakistan’s largest silent health crises, with prevalence rates of 463 and 599 per 100,000, respectively. The rural populations face higher exposure, with Punjab and KP showing particularly high hepatitis rates. These findings highlight systemic failures in health practices and infection control, requiring urgent attention.
The report concludes that Pakistan’s health challenges are multi-faceted, with each disease requiring specific, geography-sensitive interventions. Malaria demands rural-focused vector control, dengue requires urban environmental management, and hepatitis needs comprehensive prevention strategies. These differentiated responses are crucial to managing Pakistan’s complex disease landscape and preventing future health crises.
Source: Gilani Research Foundation