WHO: Pakistan’s malaria surge due to climate change

On ‘World Malaria Day 2025,’ the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services expressed concern over the escalating incidence of malaria in the country, where more than 2 million cases are reported annually. The Federal Minister of Health Syed Mustafa Kamal has stated that climate change, with its associated consequences of flooding and rising temperatures, is the primary factor driving the surge in cases, with a reported peak of 2.7 million cases in 2023. With the support of the WHO and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Pakistan has screened over 11.4 million suspected cases in 2024 and treated 2 million confirmed malaria patients. Furthermore, the large-scale distribution of vector control devices, specifically insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 22 districts with high incidence, contributed to a substantial decrease in cases to 2 million by 2024. Several additional factors have been identified as having a detrimental effect on the prospect of malaria eradication. These include the rise in poverty levels, restricted access to appropriate diagnosis and treatment, security challenges in Balochistan, the tribal areas, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and issues with access to healthcare in Sindh.