Karachi [Pakistan], March 13 : Pakistan is confronting a deepening health crisis as the rising consumption of polluted drinking water contributes to a sharp increase in kidney failure cases across the country. Medical experts have warned that thousands of people are developing life-threatening renal conditions every year, largely due to unsafe water supplies and poor healthcare infrastructure.
These concerns were highlighted by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) in a message issued on World Kidney Day, as reported by Dawn.
According to Dawn, the PMA cautioned that Pakistan could witness between 25,000 and 50,000 new cases of end-stage renal disease this year, forcing many patients to depend on dialysis or kidney transplants to survive.
The association stated that the crisis is closely linked to widespread contamination of drinking water, which continues to threaten public health nationwide.
Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, representing the PMA, stated that nearly 80 per cent of the population lacks reliable access to safe drinking water, exposing millions to harmful toxins.
The situation is particularly alarming in rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan, where residents often depend on untreated groundwater sources. Studies conducted in various regions of Pakistan have revealed alarming levels of contamination in drinking water.
Experts have detected dangerous concentrations of arsenic, lead, harmful minerals, and disease-causing pathogens, all of which can severely damage kidney function.
Research from urban centres such as Karachi indicates that over 90 per cent of available water sources contain hazardous pollutants. The crisis has worsened due to rising fuel costs and ongoing energy shortages.
In Karachi, for instance, more than 80 per cent of residents are forced to purchase water, placing an additional financial burden on households. The shortage of gas supply in the city also prevents many families from boiling water before consumption, increasing exposure to contaminated sources, as highlighted by Dawn.
Medical professionals have criticised government priorities, arguing that authorities continue to allocate large budgets for specialised kidney treatment facilities while neglecting investment in clean drinking water systems. The PMA warned that chronic kidney disease already affects 15 to 20 per cent of adults over the age of 40 in Pakistan, with an estimated annual incidence of about 100 cases per million people.
The association urged the government to treat the situation as a national emergency by improving water infrastructure, increasing healthcare funding, and expanding dialysis centres in public hospitals to help low-income patients, as reported by Dawn.
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