Health system in crisis? Pakistan's Sindh faces massive staff shortage as diseases spread

As per Dawn News, the department is facing a critical shortage of experts at a time when the province is battling multiple outbreaks of infectious diseases.

Sources said the Health Management Cadre—a specialised administrative structure responsible for overseeing hospitals and public health services—has 70 sanctioned Grade-20 positions, of which 53 remain unfilled.

The vacancies are largely attributed to the retirement of senior officials without timely replacements.

Promotions within the cadre have reportedly been pending for the past six years, leaving only 17 officers currently serving at the top level.

“These officers, specialising in health management, are typically tasked with handling emerging public health challenges,” an official told Dawn News.

Officials warned that the widening human resource gap at the leadership level has left communities increasingly vulnerable to disease outbreaks.

“It is unfortunate that key health specialist positions remain vacant at a time when the province is facing multiple challenges, including HIV, mpox, measles, malaria, and dengue,” another official said.

“The situation deprives the province of the technical capacity needed to anticipate, prevent, and respond effectively to outbreaks,” the official added.

The crisis comes amid rising health concerns in the region. Between January and April 23, Sindh reported 33 cases of mpox.

Meanwhile, measles has claimed the lives of 40 children in the province so far this year.