Pakistan Mental Health Patients Exceed 32 Million, Health Ministry Reports

The number of Pakistan mental health patients has crossed 32.04 million, according to figures presented by the Federal Ministry of Health in the National Assembly. The report also highlighted a shortage of psychiatrists, with only 1,050 registered specialists available across the country. This means there is approximately one psychiatrist for every 245,400 people.

According to the Pakistan Health Workforce Survey 2026, Punjab has 406 registered psychiatrists, followed by Sindh with 228, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 122 and Balochistan with 44. The ministry also reported that Islamabad had 300,000 mental health patients by 2023.

Pakistan’s HIV and Hepatitis Cases

The National Assembly was also informed that Pakistan has 3,900 registered AIDS patients. Sindh accounts for 1,915 cases and Punjab has 1,765. The remaining cases include 139 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 46 in Balochistan, 30 in Islamabad, four in Azad Kashmir and one in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The report further revealed that hepatitis C patients in Pakistan have reached 9 million, while the number of hepatitis B patients has exceeded 3.086 million. According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan ranks 10th globally in hepatitis C cases. The country also records around 48,000 hepatitis-related deaths every year.

Rs67.77 Billion Approved for Hepatitis Elimination Programme

The government has approved Rs67.77 billion for the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis Elimination Programme, covering the period from July 2024 to 2027. Under the funding arrangement, the federal government will provide 51 percent of the total cost, while the provinces will contribute the remaining 49 percent.

Cancer Medicines Disappear From Market

The Ministry of Health also informed the National Assembly that several cancer medicines had disappeared from the market. According to the ministry, this happened because approval to increase their prices had not been granted, resulting in higher prices for the available medicines.