The anaemia crisis in Pakistan is quietly draining the nation’s economy, affecting millions of children, adolescent girls, and women. The condition, which costs over $3 billion annually in lost productivity and human capital, continues to pose a severe public health challenge. According to Nutrition International’s recent Cost of Inaction (COI) report, the economic toll includes $2.5 billion in losses due to anaemia in children alone, along with an additional $595 million attributed to women and adolescent girls.
The report highlights that 53% of children aged 6-59 months suffer from anaemia, with 2.8 million new cases each year. Pakistan ranks second in South Asia for child anaemia prevalence and 39th globally. Women and adolescent girls are also heavily impacted, with 41.3% of women and over 23.9 million new cases of anaemia annually. The country ranks fourth in South Asia for anaemia in women and 35th globally.
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Factors such as inadequate iron intake, poor maternal nutrition, frequent pregnancies, and recurrent infections contribute to anaemia in Pakistan. Dr. Shabina Raza, country director for Nutrition International, emphasized that the long-term effects of anaemia hinder cognitive development, school performance, and adult productivity, which in turn harms the economy.
The World Health Assembly (WHA) aims to reduce anaemia prevalence by 50% by 2025, but Pakistan faces considerable obstacles in achieving this goal. The report calls for immediate nutrition-focused interventions to address iron deficiency and mitigate the significant economic impact of anaemia.
