How Much Does Pakistan Spend on Health in 2026-27?
The federal health figure, and why most hospital funding sits elsewhere
By the ISN Media desk • June 2026 • Approx. 4-min read
This is a short, factual answer about Pakistan's health spending in the 2026-27 budget. The figures are Budget Estimates from the Government of Pakistan, in billions of rupees. For the full analysis, see education, health and the smallest shares.
How much does Pakistan spend on health in 2026-27?
At the federal level, Pakistan spends about Rs 37 billion on health in 2026-27, roughly 0.2 percent of the budget, or 20 paisa in every 100 rupees. The current health line rose about 17 percent on the year, from about Rs 32 billion, though from a very low base. As with education, most hospitals and clinics are funded by the provinces under the eighteenth amendment, so the federal figure understates national health spending.
What the federal figure covers
The federal health lines mainly fund national health programmes, regulatory bodies, federal hospitals, and health services in the territories the federation administers directly. The day-to-day running of the public hospital and clinic network across the four provinces, which most citizens use, is funded from the provincial budgets, not this federal line.
Federal health, the second-smallest of the named social sectors.
The national picture
Even allowing for devolution, Pakistan's combined federal and provincial public health spending has stayed low as a share of the economy, below many comparable countries. The effects are visible in indicators such as child stunting, uneven immunisation, the continued presence of polio, and the large share of health costs paid directly out of pocket by households.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Pakistan spend on health in 2026-27? About Rs 37 billion at the federal level, 0.2 percent of the budget or 20 paisa in every 100 rupees. It rose about 17 percent this year from a low base. Most hospital funding is provincial.
Why is the federal health figure so small? Because the eighteenth amendment devolved most health responsibility to the provinces, which fund hospitals and clinics from the revenue transferred to them. The federal lines fund national programmes and regulation.
Did health spending rise this year? Yes, by about 17 percent at the federal level, from roughly Rs 32 billion to Rs 37 billion, though from a low base.
Who runs most of Pakistan's hospitals? The provinces, which fund and operate the bulk of the public hospital and clinic network, with the federation handling cross-provincial functions such as disease programmes and regulation.
Is Pakistan's health spending adequate? By international standards, no. Combined federal and provincial spending stays low as a share of the economy, reflected in indicators such as stunting and high out-of-pocket costs.
Why do families pay out of pocket for healthcare? Because a large share of health spending is paid directly at the point of care rather than through public budgets or insurance, one of the highest such shares in the region, which often pushes families into debt.
How does health spending compare with defence? Federal health of about Rs 37 billion is roughly one eightieth of the defence budget of about Rs 3,011 billion, so the federal government spends about 80 rupees on defence for every rupee it spends, at the centre, on health.
What is the Sehat Card? A government health-insurance programme, also called Sehat Sahulat, intended to cover hospital treatment for lower-income families. Its reach and funding have varied by province and over time, alongside the small dedicated federal health line, and it represents one of the state's main attempts to shield households from the cost of serious illness.
Sources and notes
- Government of Pakistan, Federal Budget 2026-27: health figures are Budget Estimates in billions of rupees, rounded for readability.
- Health-outcome indicators reflect published estimates from national surveys and international bodies.
ISN MEDIA