Islamabad: Heart disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease killed an estimated 440,000 Pakistanis in 2023, accounting for nearly three in 10 deaths as non-communicable diseases made up 59 percent of the country’s mortality burden, WHO estimates show.
The World Health Organisation’s latest Global Health Estimates put Pakistan’s total deaths in 2023 at around 1.54 million among a population estimated at 247.5 million.
Ischaemic heart disease was the leading individual cause of death, claiming an estimated 206,726 lives. Stroke caused another 122,247 deaths and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, was responsible for about 111,372 deaths.
Together, the three illnesses caused roughly 440,000 deaths, highlighting the heavy and growing toll of cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases in Pakistan. The figures also show that heart disease alone killed more people than all injuries, including road crashes, self-harm, violence, drowning and falls, combined.
Non-communicable diseases caused an estimated 899,160 deaths, or 58.5 percent of all deaths in the country. These diseases include heart conditions, stroke, diabetes, cancers, chronic lung diseases, kidney ailments and neurological disorders.
Cardiovascular diseases accounted for 403,312 deaths, meaning more than one in every four people who died in Pakistan in 2023 succumbed to a heart or blood-vessel disease. Ischaemic heart disease, in which blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced or blocked, accounted for more than half of these deaths.
Cancer was another major cause, responsible for about 120,834 deaths. Diabetes caused an estimated 53,668 deaths, while kidney diseases claimed around 30,470 lives and cirrhosis of the liver about 32,345.
COPD, a chronic condition in which damaged lungs make breathing increasingly difficult, emerged as the third leading individual cause of death. The illness is strongly associated with tobacco use, exposure to polluted air, occupational dust and fumes, and smoke from biomass fuels used for cooking and heating.
The WHO estimates show Pakistan confronting a double disease burden. While deaths from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and chronic lung illness are rising with an ageing population and changing lifestyles, the country continues to lose a large number of mothers, newborns and children to infectious diseases and conditions that can often be prevented or treated.
Communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions caused an estimated 525,527 deaths, or 34.2 percent of all deaths. Infectious and parasitic diseases alone accounted for about 212,840 deaths.
The country’s high number of deaths among children under five remained one of the most troubling findings. WHO estimated 391,557 deaths in this age group, equivalent to more than one in four deaths nationwide.
More than half of under-five deaths occurred during the neonatal period, the first 28 days after birth. Neonatal conditions caused an estimated 214,324 deaths among children under five.
Complications of preterm birth were responsible for 98,190 deaths, making them one of Pakistan’s biggest child-survival challenges. Birth asphyxia and birth trauma caused another 72,578 deaths, while neonatal sepsis and other infections claimed 26,299 lives.
Outside the neonatal period, lower respiratory infections caused an estimated 36,612 deaths among children under five. Diarrhoeal diseases caused 31,496 deaths, reflecting continued gaps in safe water, sanitation, nutrition, vaccination, early diagnosis and access to quality treatment.
Congenital anomalies caused about 24,392 deaths among children under five, including an estimated 15,131 deaths from congenital heart abnormalities. These figures underline the need for improved antenatal screening, safer deliveries, functioning newborn units and rapid referral systems for sick babies.
Injuries caused an estimated 111,593 deaths in Pakistan in 2023, or 7.3 percent of all deaths. Road injuries were the largest single injury cause, claiming about 27,857 lives.
Self-harm was estimated to have caused 18,103 deaths, followed by drowning with 14,201 deaths, falls with 13,836 deaths and interpersonal violence with 12,382 deaths. The figures indicate that road safety, mental-health care, emergency trauma services and violence prevention must remain important public-health priorities.
Among people aged 15 to 29 years, injuries were the largest broad category of deaths, ahead of infectious and non-communicable diseases. Road injuries caused 9,141 deaths in this age group, self-harm 8,736, maternal conditions 8,700 and interpersonal violence 5,160.
For adults aged 30 to 49 years, the disease pattern shifts sharply towards chronic illness. Cancer caused 24,811 deaths in this age group, while ischaemic heart disease killed 23,986 people, showing that serious non-communicable diseases are affecting Pakistanis well before old age.
Tuberculosis caused about 9,625 deaths among people aged 30 to 49, while HIV/AIDS caused 8,687 deaths, cirrhosis 10,051, stroke 9,275 and road injuries 8,923.
Among people aged 70 years and above, heart disease remained the leading killer, followed by COPD and stroke. Ischaemic heart disease caused an estimated 93,340 deaths in this age group, COPD 78,615 and stroke 63,407.
The WHO figures are modelled estimates, designed to show the likely national pattern of mortality where complete death registration and medical certification of causes of death remain limited. They point to the need for Pakistan to strengthen prevention and early treatment of high blood pressure, diabetes and tobacco-related disease, while also improving primary healthcare, road safety, mental-health support and maternal, newborn and child health services.