Pakistan has 32.4 million people suffering from mental disorders, 12.9 million with hepatitis: report

More than 32. 4 million people in Pakistan are affected by mental health disorders, while 12. 9 million are infected with hepatitis B or C, with the country also ranking among the top 10 countries in the world with the highest hepatitis C-related deaths, according to figures presented by the Ministry of National Health Services in the National Assembly on Friday. The ministry also reported that more than 417, 000 people in the country are living with HIV, including around 3, 900 registered children, highlighting the growing public health challenges facing Pakistan. According to the parliamentary report, the number of people suffering from mental health disorders increased from 30 million in 2019 to 32. 4 million in 2023, registering a rise of 2. 4 million over four years. Islamabad alone has more than 300, 000 people experiencing mental health disorders, while the country faces a serious shortage of qualified psychiatrists. The report revealed that only 1, 050 psychiatrists are registered nationwide, leaving Pakistan with just one psychiatrist for more than 245, 000 people. Punjab has 406 registered psychiatrists, followed by Sindh with 228, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 122 and Balochistan with 44. Hepatitis and HIV cases highlight growing health burden The ministry’s report identified Pakistan as the country with the world’s highest number of hepatitis C patients, while also placing it among the 10 countries with the highest hepatitis C-related deaths. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates cited in the report, around nine million people in Pakistan are infected with hepatitis C, while more than 3. 86 million are living with hepatitis B. The combined number of hepatitis B and C patients has exceeded 12. 9 million. The report further stated that hepatitis causes around 48, 000 deaths annually in Pakistan. More than 88, 000 new hepatitis C infections were recorded in 2024. The ministry informed the National Assembly that more than 417, 000 people in Pakistan are estimated to be living with HIV, although only 92, 148 have been registered. Of those registered, 67, 878 people are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). The report highlighted a significant increase in annual HIV cases, rising from around 16, 000 in 2010 to 48, 000 in 2024. It also reported a substantial increase in HIV screening, with the number of screenings rising from 37, 944 in 2020 to 374, 000 in 2025. Nearly 3, 900 children registered with HIV The parliamentary document revealed that 3, 900 children were registered as HIV-positive between January 2025 and June 2026. Sindh accounted for the highest number, with 1, 915 registered children, followed by Punjab with 1, 765. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 139 cases, while Balochistan recorded 46. The figures also included 30 children in Islamabad, four in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one in Gilgit-Baltistan. The figures presented in the National Assembly underline the scale of Pakistan’s challenges in mental healthcare, hepatitis prevention and HIV treatment.

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