Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 21 May 2026
UNIC-Islamabad
21 May 2026
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WHO
PRESS RELEASE
WHO urges partners to prevent malaria resurgence in Pakistan and end malaria in our lifetime
Pakistan reduced malaria incidence by 10% in 2025 compared to 2024, but it still reported 1.8 million cases, as the country has not yet recovered from the surge triggered by the 2022 climate-driven floods.
25 April 2026, Islamabad, Pakistan – On World Malaria Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on all partners to intensify the response to prevent a resurgence in Pakistan and stresses that, for the first time, ending malaria in our lifetime is possible. In 2025, Pakistan reduced malaria incidence by 10% compared to 2024, but it still reported 1.8 million cases, as the country has not yet recovered from the surge triggered by the 2022 climate-driven floods – from 399,097 confirmed infections in 2021 to a peak of 2.7 million in 2023.
Progress is at risk due to factors such as climate change, a massive global funding gap of US$ 5.4 billion and recent cuts in global health aid, which have disrupted health systems, surveillance, and campaigns, demonstrating how quickly hard-fought gains can be reversed.
As part of World Malaria Day celebrations, WHO and partners have launched a global campaign to seize the opportunity to protect lives now and fund a malaria-free future, under the theme “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.”
“With the tools and resources available today, together, we have the historic opportunity to offer a malaria-free world to our children and our grandchildren. WHO stands with Pakistan to continue strengthening the response, providing science-based technical support to build together a future where no family should lose a loved one to malaria.”
In April 2026, WHO supported a country-led malaria programme review that visited health facilities across different provinces. The goal: to collect evidence and lessons learned to continue reinforcing prevention, surveillance, case management, evidence-based vector control, data systems, and outbreak preparedness at the federal and the provincial levels.
In 2025, Pakistan screened about 16.9 million suspected cases and provided free treatment to most of the close to 1.8 million confirmed patients in collaboration with WHO, partners, the private sector and civil society – and with funding support from the Global Fund to defeat AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.
Approximately 12 million nets to prevent mosquito bites were distributed in Pakistan over a three-year period from 2023 to 2025. In addition, community-based case management has been recently adopted and shows strong potential for hard-to-reach communities
In Pakistan, malaria transmission persists mainly in Balochistan, rural Sindh, and some districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
2.3 billion cases and 14 million deaths averted globally since 2000
Since 2000, thanks to medical science and joint international and country-led efforts, 2.3 billion cases and 14 million deaths have been averted globally. To date, 47 countries have been certified malaria-free (of which two in 2024 and three in 2025), while 37 countries reported fewer than 1,000 cases in 2024.
WHO experts consider that eradicating malaria is within reach, particularly thanks to medical science and the development of new vaccines, treatments, malaria control tools and pioneering technologies – including genetic modification of mosquitoes and long-acting injectables.
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For additional information, please contact:
- José Ignacio Martín Galán, Head of Communications, WHO Pakistan: joma...@who.int
- Maryam Yunus, National Professional Officer – Communications, WHO Pakistan: yun...@who.int
About WHO
Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. We work with over 190 Member States across more than 150 locations to ensure everyone, everywhere, can attain the highest level of health. WHO has maintained a permanent presence in Pakistan since its country office was established in 1960.
For more information, visit https://www.emro.who.int/countries/pak/index.html or follow us on our social media:
Picture Caption: WHO experts in a health facility in Sindh, Pakistan, during a field visit to support a Government-led malaria programme review in April 2026. Photo credit: WHO Pakistan
UNIC-Islamabad
Pakistan, WHO and MSF partner to enhance protection for 93,000 children affected by childhood tuberculosis
The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Common Management Unit of leads a consultation to adapt national policies to the latest international guidelines in partnership with the World Health Organization, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Pakistan Paediatric Association.
21 May 2026, Islamabad, Pakistan – The Common Management Unit for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (CMU) at Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) convened a two-day consultation at WHO’s Country Office to enhance the response to childhood tuberculosis (TB), a deadly disease that it is estimated affects more than 93,600 children in Pakistan.
Under CMU leadership, the consultation aimed to align national policies with the latest WHO international guidelines to tackle an infection that is curable and preventable.
It is estimated that children account for at least 14% of the total 669,000 TB cases registered in Pakistan, which bears 73% of the burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and is the fifth most affected country in the world.
The roundtable discussion, organized in collaboration with the Pakistan Paediatric Association, focused on how to integrate the latest WHO science-based guidelines into national policies, taking into account lessons learned from the implementation of MSF’s TACTiC (Test, Avoid, Cure TB in Children) initiative.
WHO recommendations include, among others, a 4-month TB treatment regimen, TB preventive treatment, new all-oral 6-9 months regimens for drug-resistant TB, and a family-centred, decentralized model of care and treatment-decision algorithms.
“Under the leadership of senior management of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and the Common Management Unit, Pakistan has prioritized paediatric tuberculosis as a critical programmatic gap, in line with recommendations of the Joint Programme Review Mission 2025. The programme has advanced integrated, child-focused interventions, including standardized clinical diagnosis, systematic household contact investigation, and scale-up of TB preventive therapy, while embedding services within primary healthcare and child health platforms. Strengthened engagement with private providers and improved surveillance systems are enhancing case detection, notification, and treatment outcomes. These strategic actions are being institutionalized through the forthcoming National Strategic Plan to ensure sustained, measurable reductions in the burden of tuberculosis among children”, said CMU’s TB Programme Manager Dr Faisal Siraj.
“Children are among the most vulnerable to developing TB because diagnosing the disease is more challenging, and the risk of severe disease is higher compared to adults,” said Dr. Florian Götzinger, National Implementer for MSF’s TACTiC initiative. “We are implementing new WHO diagnostic algorithms to support doctors in initiating treatment early, even when laboratory tests are unavailable or inconclusive.”
Tuberculosis causes 51,000 deaths annually in Pakistan. Every day, over 1,800 new cases arise in the country and 140 people die from tuberculosis. Globally, according to the WHO Global TB Report 2025, an estimated 1.2 million children developed TB in 2024. Many children are still missed, go undiagnosed, or are diagnosed too late.
“Protecting children from TB is not only a medical responsibility — it is a moral imperative and an investment in a healthier and more prosperous future for Pakistan,” WHO Deputy Representative in Pakistan Ellen Thom said during the consultation. “WHO commends Pakistan’s commitment to end childhood tuberculosis and remains committed to supporting Pakistan in accelerating science-based efforts to ensure that every child at risk of TB is reached and protected through preventive care, early diagnosis, and timely treatment when necessary. Our goal is to reach every child, regardless of social or economic status, no matter where they live or who they are.”
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For additional information, please contact:
WHO:
- José Ignacio Martín Galán, Head of Communications, WHO Pakistan: joma...@who.int
MSF:
- Yasin Kamran: National Communications Manager, MSF Pakistan : msf-paki...@msf.org
About WHO
Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. We work with over 190 Member States across more than 150 locations to ensure everyone, everywhere, can attain the highest level of health. WHO has maintained a permanent presence in Pakistan since its country office was established in 1960. For more information, visit https://www.emro.who.int/countries/pak/index.html
About MSF
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, is an international, independent medical humanitarian organisation. We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, and exclusion from healthcare. Founded in 1971, MSF today works in more than 70 countries, with teams made up of health and medical care professionals, logisticians, administrative staff, communications specialists, and other skilled experts. Our work is guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence, and neutrality. MSF has been working in Pakistan since 1986.
