Pakistan Among Five Countries That Failed to Report Cholera Cases Last Year: WHO

M. Waqar Bhatti

Islamabad: Despite the lack of safe drinking water for millions of people due to repeated climate-related floods, droughts, conflicts, and migration, Pakistan was one of five countries, alongside Angola, Myanmar, Uganda, and Yemen, that failed to report cholera data to the World Health Organization (WHO) last year.

According to WHO’s annual cholera report, cholera cases increased by 13 percent globally, and deaths by 71 percent in 2023, with over 4,000 deaths from the disease—an easily preventable and treatable condition. Yet, countries like Pakistan have not shared crucial information that could aid global disease control efforts.

The WHO report states, “The following countries, considered by the Global Task Force on Cholera Control to be at risk for cholera, did not report cholera data to WHO for 2023: Angola, Myanmar, Pakistan, Uganda, and Yemen.” Pakistan’s failure to report comes despite repeated cholera outbreaks in Sindh and Balochistan following heavy rains and droughts in recent years.

Officials involved in disease surveillance acknowledge the refusal to officially recognize cholera outbreaks, citing fears of potential global sanctions on food exports. An official involved in the country’s disease surveillance program told The Newztodays, “Despite lab-confirmed cholera cases, we have a policy not to confirm or declare cholera outbreaks anywhere in the country. We use terms like Acute Water Diarrhea (AWD) or Acute Diarrhea (AD) instead.”

This policy of withholding data, the official argued, is intended to avoid external repercussions, but it has dangerous domestic consequences. “Hiding the cases means hiding the disease, and this leads to deaths due to a lack of awareness and inadequate responses by local authorities.

The public is not informed, and as a result, clean drinking water and medical interventions aren’t prioritized,” the official added.
However, officials at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad disputed both the WHO and local officials’ claims.

According to a senior NIH official, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHS, R&C) is responsible for handling cholera outbreaks, and the NIH had provided data on confirmed cholera cases to WHO’s country office in Islamabad.

“We haven’t seen WHO’s cholera report yet, but we sent the cholera data last year. It’s possible the country office didn’t forward it to WHO headquarters,” the NIH official claimed.

On the other hand, WHO’s 2023 cholera report noted that 45 countries reported cholera cases in 2023, an increase from 44 in 2022. The majority of reported cases were among children under five. Health Authorities Mum on Monkeypox Cases Linked to Saudi Arabia as Umrah Season Approaches

The rise in cholera outbreaks globally has been driven by conflict, climate change, inadequate access to safe water, and poor sanitation.
Pakistan’s refusal to officially report cholera cases mirrors challenges seen across other nations struggling with the disease.

In many cases, governments hesitate to release data, fearing reputational damage or economic consequences. However, experts argue that this approach is counterproductive, as it weakens global response efforts and endangers the health of vulnerable populations.
The NIH official emphasized the need for proper Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives, highlighting that cholera and other waterborne diseases will persist unless municipal authorities provide safe drinking water and improve sanitation services.

Globally, the WHO has classified the current cholera risk as very high. The organization continues to support countries in public health surveillance, case management, and preventive measures, but there are gaps in funding. While vaccination campaigns play a role, long-term solutions depend on improving access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Despite global efforts, countries like Pakistan, which fail to report critical health data, are undermining these initiatives. The consequences of this lack of transparency are most evident in communities already facing waterborne diseases, where preventable deaths continue to rise.