Pakistan Needs Joint Effort to Tackle Population Challenge: Dr Bharath

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath has said Pakistan’s fast-rising population has become a serious challenge, warning that the number could reach nearly 400 million by 2040 if timely and effective measures are not taken.

Addressing a ceremony held for the handover of reproductive health and family planning commodities at the Basic Health Unit (BHU), Tarlai, Islamabad, the minister said the issue could not be addressed through government measures alone and required the active role of every segment of society.

Dr Bharath said family planning should not be seen only as limiting the number of children, but as a way to ensure that every child is born in a healthy, safe and dignified environment.

He said parents must assess whether they have the resources to provide their children with proper nutrition, quality education, timely immunisation, healthcare facilities and a suitable upbringing before planning their families. A healthy and prosperous society, he added, could only be established when every child is able to enjoy fundamental rights.

Highlighting the need for improved reproductive health services, the minister said the use of modern contraceptive methods in Pakistan remained comparatively low when compared with several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Türkiye.

He noted that limited use of safe and effective family planning methods led to unintended pregnancies, which increased the incidence of unsafe abortions. This, he said, posed serious threats to women’s health and also added pressure on the national healthcare system.

Dr Bharath said a healthy mother was the foundation of a healthy family and a strong nation. Poor maternal health, he said, had a negative impact on children’s growth, education, development and the overall well-being of families.

He said that just as fathers carry the responsibility of financially supporting their families, protecting maternal health was equally important for family welfare and national progress.

The minister also informed the participants that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a National Council to deal with the country’s population challenges. He said the council was working on a comprehensive national strategy aimed at promoting balanced population growth, improving maternal and child health and strengthening family planning services across Pakistan.

Reiterating the government’s commitment, Dr Bharath said the Ministry of National Health Services would continue working with provincial governments, development partners and relevant institutions to improve access, quality and effectiveness of maternal and child healthcare and family planning services throughout the country.

In his concluding remarks, he urged all Pakistanis to adopt family planning with responsibility and awareness for the better future of coming generations. He said collective efforts would help ensure that every child grew up in a healthy environment, every mother remained safe and Pakistan moved towards becoming a stronger, healthier and more prosperous country.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services said the Government of China, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), had provided reproductive health and family planning medicines, medical supplies and equipment worth US$2 million to the Government of Pakistan.

The contribution was described at the ceremony as an important step towards strengthening reproductive healthcare services, improving maternal and child health outcomes and expanding public access to quality family planning services across Pakistan.