Pakistan’s efforts to combat infectious diseases have suffered a significant setback after the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria reduced its financial support to the country for the current grant cycle. As reported by “The News,” the Global Fund cited global funding pressures and the need to reprioritize allocations as reasons for this cutback.
This reduction in funding comes at a critical time, as Pakistan is experiencing a sharp surge in HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria cases. Simultaneously, the nation’s health programs continue to struggle with persistent leadership gaps and administrative mismanagement.
According to an official letter from the Global Fund to Pakistani authorities, the country’s total allocation under Grant Cycle 7 (GC7) has been decreased from US223.6 million, representing a decline of over US$27 million. These funds were originally intended for key national and international partners responsible for implementing prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services across Pakistan.
Among the programs most severely affected is the National TB Control Program, whose allocation has dropped from US129.9 million. The HIV/AIDS component, implemented by the National AIDS Control Program and UNDP Pakistan, has seen a reduction of more than US$4 million. Malaria programs also experienced funding cuts across various implementing bodies.
This reduction in aid coincides with growing concerns within both the Global Fund and Pakistan’s health community regarding the inefficient and non-transparent utilization of previous grants. Several health officials and donor representatives have openly expressed dissatisfaction with delays, underperformance, and financial mismanagement that reportedly plagued numerous programs.
Leadership Vacuum and Escalating Disease Burden
Adding to the gravity of the situation, the federal government’s Common Management Unit (CMU)—the national coordination body overseeing HIV, TB, and malaria programs—currently lacks a permanent head. Furthermore, all three individual disease control programs are operating without full-time national program managers.
While the Ministry of National Health Services has recently advertised these top-level posts, experts are sounding the alarm. They warn that unless qualified, competent, and honest professionals are appointed through a transparent process, Pakistan’s crucial fight against these deadly diseases will remain dangerously weak.
Meanwhile, the disease burden continues to escalate. Official estimates indicate that more than 1,200 new HIV cases are detected each month, with health experts fearing that actual transmissions could exceed 3,000 per month due to significant underreporting and weak surveillance systems. Pakistan is presently among the top countries in the Asia-Pacific region experiencing a rapidly growing HIV epidemic.
The TB situation is even more alarming. The World Health Organization estimates that over 610,000 new TB cases occur in Pakistan annually, positioning it among the top five high-burden countries globally. Pakistan also remains a hot spot for drug-resistant TB. Malaria, which was long neglected due to its concentration in rural and flood-prone areas, is now surging again, with climate change and inadequate vector control contributing to localized outbreaks.
The Global Fund’s letter explicitly states that its decision to cut Pakistan’s allocation is due to global donor constraints. However, it also strongly urges Pakistani authorities to reprioritize their efforts and make the most effective use of the remaining grant money, alongside domestic resources.
The Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), which oversees Global Fund implementation in Pakistan, has been mandated to reconvene and finalize revised funding plans by July 14, 2025. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the automatic implementation of the revised, reduced grant structure.
This development has sent ripples throughout Pakistan’s public health sector. Civil society organizations, program officials, and international health partners are urgently calling for immediate corrective action. “We are not only losing money — we are risking lives,” one senior official associated with the HIV program stated anonymously. “Without capable leadership and proper accountability, we may lose further donor confidence in the future.”
The current situation critically underscores the urgent need for the Ministry of National Health Services to restore credibility and operational capacity in these vital public health programs. With the reduced funding now confirmed, experts warn that Pakistan must act swiftly to prevent a surge in preventable deaths and a further deterioration in its already strained public health systems.
