Karachi: Pakistan is among the hardest-hit countries in the world for anaemia in women of reproductive age, with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2025 Global Anaemia Estimates placing it in the highest “severe public health” category, where at least 40% of women aged 15–49 are affected.
While no exact figure is published for Pakistan, the WHO’s country prevalence maps for 2023 shade Pakistan in the same high-burden range as Afghanistan, Yemen and Sudan — nations where nearly one in two women live with this debilitating condition.
The WHO report warns that global progress in reducing anaemia has stalled since 2012, with prevalence in many countries static or even increasing. Worldwide, 30.7% of women of reproductive age were anaemic in 2023, and only one country — Uzbekistan — is on track to meet the 2030 global nutrition target of halving anaemia.
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, which includes Pakistan, the burden remains among the highest globally, driven by iron deficiency, poor diet, infections, chronic illness, and limited maternal health services.
Anaemia during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal death, serious obstetric complications, stillbirth, low birthweight, and impaired cognitive and physical development in children. The WHO report emphasises that these effects perpetuate an intergenerational cycle of poor health and reduced economic productivity.
An earlier companion synthesis, the “Exemplars in Global Health: Anaemia Reduction” study led by Prof. Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, offers deeper insight into Pakistan’s progress and challenges.
Analysing data from 2005 to 2018, the study found that Pakistan reduced anaemia among women by an average of 3.4% per year — among the fastest rates in the Eastern Mediterranean Region — through a combination of health-sector and non-health-sector interventions.
Key health measures included iron–folic acid supplementation during pregnancy, strengthened antenatal care through the Lady Health Workers programme, integration of family planning with maternal–newborn services, and expanded counselling.
Non-health interventions included social protection schemes such as the Benazir Income Support Programme and large-scale food fortification efforts, including vitamin A fortification of oil/ghee and wheat flour fortification initiatives.
Despite these gains, Pakistan still ended the study period firmly in the severe anaemia category. Bhutta’s research also revealed that wealth inequalities widened, with poorer women falling further behind in prevention and treatment coverage.
Experts warn that without targeted strategies to close these equity gaps, national averages may improve while vulnerable groups remain trapped in high-burden zones.
Neighbouring countries show a similar pattern: Afghanistan and Yemen have anaemia prevalence exceeding 50% in women of reproductive age, while India — part of the WHO South-East Asia Region — reports rates above 50% as well. This regional clustering of high-prevalence countries underscores the need for cross-border learning and policy coordination.
Both the WHO and Prof. Bhutta’s findings point to a clear set of priorities for Pakistan: scaling up iron and folic acid supplementation, accelerating staple food fortification, strengthening antenatal and maternal health services, ensuring equitable reach of social protection, and improving women’s dietary diversity. Without decisive, multi-sectoral action, Pakistan risks perpetuating the health and economic costs of anaemia for generations.
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