ISLAMABAD:
The anemia crisis, a debilitating disease that affects millions of children, adolescents and women in Pakistan, is silently draining the country’s economy, costing more than $3 billion in lost productivity and human capital .
With annual losses estimated at $2.5 billion for children alone and an additional $595 million for adolescent girls and women, the total economic toll of anemia exceeds $3 billion, according to the recent report by Nutrition International on the Cost of Inaction (COI).
Despite some improvements, anemia remains a serious public health problem. Among children aged 6 to 59 months, 53% have anemia, with 2.8 million new cases reported each year. Pakistan ranks second in South Asia for the prevalence of childhood anemia and 39th in the world.
The situation is also worrying for women and adolescent girls, 41.3% of whom suffer from anemia. Pakistan ranks fourth in South Asia and 35th globally for the prevalence of anemia in this group. Each year, more than 23.9 million new cases are reported among adolescents and women aged 15 to 49, including 918,154 cases among pregnant women.
The report highlights several factors contributing to anemia in Pakistan. In children, iron deficiency due to inadequate dietary intake, recurrent infections and poor maternal nutrition are the main causes.
In adolescents and women, insufficient iron intake, frequent pregnancies and chronic health problems further aggravate the situation. Maternal anemia not only affects women’s health, but also increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and adverse outcomes for newborns.
Dr Shabina Raza, Country Director of Nutrition International, highlighted the long-term consequences of anemia.
“Anemia constitutes a major public health challenge in Pakistan, particularly among children and women of reproductive age. It affects cognitive development, academic achievement and productivity in adulthood, creating a lasting impact on the country’s economic growth,” she said.
The World Health Assembly (WHA) aims to reduce the prevalence of anemia by 50% by 2025. However, Pakistan faces enormous challenges in achieving this goal. The report highlights that iron deficiency, a leading cause of anemia, continues to harm productivity and maternal health.
“The loss of human capital due to anemia represents not only a health crisis but also an economic burden that Pakistan cannot afford to ignore. Addressing anemia through nutrition-focused interventions is crucial to building a healthier and more productive society,” the Ministry of Education said. National Health Services.
Economic losses associated with anemia reflect decreased cognitive function, decreased academic performance, and decreased work performance. Iron deficiency anemia alone poses long-term developmental problems for children and productivity losses for adults.
Although anemia remains one of the most pressing health problems, the overall cost of undernutrition is staggering. The report estimates the annual economic cost of undernutrition at $17 billion, which represents 4.6% of Pakistan’s gross national income (GNI).
Stunting represents the largest share, with an economic impact of $16 billion per year, or 4.2% of GNI. Low birth weight contributes an additional $7.1 billion to the economic burden, creating long-term challenges for human capital development and national growth.
