Pakistan Reports 32.4 Million Mental Health Cases, 12.9 Million Hepatitis Patients

Pakistan’s Health Crisis Deepens as Mental Illness and Hepatitis Cases Surge

Health ministry reveals rising disease burden, shortage of psychiatrists and nearly 3,900 registered HIV-positive children.

Islamabad: Pakistan is facing a growing public health challenge, with 32.4 million people suffering from mental health disorders and approximately 12.9 million affected by hepatitis B and C, according to figures presented by the Ministry of National Health Services in the National Assembly.

The ministry submitted statistics covering mental health disorders, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, highlighting the increasing burden of diseases and shortages of healthcare professionals across the country.

Mental Health Patients Increase by 2.4 Million

According to the report, the number of people suffering from mental health disorders increased from 30 million in 2019 to 32.4 million in 2023, representing an increase of 2.4 million patients over four years.

Islamabad alone has more than 300,000 people suffering from mental health conditions.

The report also highlighted a serious shortage of qualified psychiatrists in Pakistan. Only 1,050 psychiatrists are registered nationwide, meaning there is approximately one psychiatrist for every 245,000 people.

Provincial figures show that Punjab has 406 registered psychiatrists, followed by Sindh with 228, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 122 and Balochistan with 44.

Pakistan Faces Serious Hepatitis Burden

The Ministry of National Health Services reported that Pakistan ranks first globally in the number of hepatitis C patients and is also among the top 10 countries in hepatitis C-related deaths.

According to World Health Organization figures cited in the report, approximately nine million people in Pakistan are living with hepatitis C, while more than 3.86 million are affected by hepatitis B.

Combined, the number of hepatitis B and C patients has reached approximately 12.9 million.

The report further stated that hepatitis-related diseases cause around 48,000 deaths annually in Pakistan. More than 88,000 new hepatitis C infections were recorded in 2024.

HIV Cases Rise Significantly

The ministry informed the National Assembly that more than 417,000 people in Pakistan are estimated to be living with HIV.

Of these, 92,148 individuals are registered, while 67,878 are receiving antiretroviral therapy.

The report also highlighted a substantial increase in annual HIV cases, rising from approximately 16,000 in 2010 to 48,000 in 2024.

HIV screening has also expanded considerably, increasing from 37,944 screenings in 2020 to 374,000 in 2025.

Nearly 3,900 Children Registered with HIV

The report revealed that 3,900 children were registered as HIV-positive between January 2025 and June 2026.

Sindh recorded the highest number, with 1,915 affected children, followed by Punjab with 1,765.

The provincial breakdown further showed:

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 139 children
• Balochistan: 46 children
• Islamabad: 30 children
• Azad Jammu and Kashmir: 4 children
• Gilgit-Baltistan: 1 child

The figures presented in the National Assembly underline the growing need for improved mental healthcare facilities, greater availability of trained specialists, expanded disease screening and stronger public health programmes across Pakistan.