Located in South Asia, environmental factors are evident in the recent heatwaves and floods Pakistan suffered between 2020 and 2022. Health facilities reported a significant surge in malaria cases, from nearly 400,000 cases in 2021 to more than 1.8 million cases in 2022.
The country's Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination developed a national Plan of Action (2023-2027) through a comprehensive consensus-building initiative with all stakeholders and partners. The plan focuses on seven service delivery areas (SDAs): improved surveillance, epidemic preparedness and response, institutional strengthening including M&E and viable coordination, health education and community awareness and empowerment, diagnosis and treatment, preventive measures, and operational research and capacity building. In 2020, their Malaria Elimination roadmap (2021-2035) was developed. A year later, the country also developed the Vivax Elimination Roadmap with the technical support of APMEN.
Currently among the countries making up 99% of the Asia Pacific’s malaria burden, Pakistan aims to eliminate malaria by 2035.