The Pakistan Medical Association seeks forensic audit of disease control programmes
KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has expressed profound concern over what it described as the worsening epidemiological indicators of major infectious and preventable diseases across the country, demanding a transparent audit of all government departments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in these areas. In a statement, the association regretted that Pakistan…
Karachi, November 7th, 2026 - The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has raised significant concerns over the deteriorating health conditions in Pakistan, particularly in the fight against major infectious and preventable diseases. In a statement, the association expressed deep apprehension about the worsening epidemiological indicators of diseases such as polio, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis.
Despite significant financial investments from international grants, donor funding, and national resources, Pakistan continues to fall far behind global health milestones.
The PMA welcomed recent administrative steps, including an order by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) for a special audit of Global Fund-backed trusts managing HIV programmes. However, the association demanded a comprehensive, transparent forensic audit of all government departments, vertical programmes, and NGOs involved in disease control.
Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro of the PMA highlighted the disparity between the substantial financial outlays for disease eradication and the poor state of public health infrastructure. He pointed out that healthcare providers are overworked, disease burdens are multiplying, and the overall effectiveness of these programmes is undermined by chronic institutional inertia, lack of transparency, and administrative malpractices.
The PMA is urgently calling for independent forensic and financial audits, overseen by impartial financial watchdogs, of all federal and provincial disease control programmes and NGOs working in polio, TB, HIV, and hepatitis eradication.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
