Aid withdrawal

The health sector in Pakistan is quite underdeveloped and this is one of the main reasons that the country relies on foreign aid and funds to meet its health needs, including countering the polio virus. Pakistan has been struggling for many years to eradicate polio and the role of global health organisations and funds is very important in sustaining the country’s polio fight. Now, US President Donald Trump has ended all sorts of aid funds in order to prioritise his domestic agenda, leaving countries like Pakistan in the lurch. Pakistan is already in turmoil and does not need a healthcare crisis. It is hoped that organisations like the WHO will step in while US funds remain off the table.

Tania Hussain

Islamabad