Health services are becoming more and more inaccessible for consumers who are in inflation, as Pakistan Bureau Statistics (PBS) figures for January 2025 show a sharp increase in medical spending.
The latest data published by the PBS earlier this month have shown that costs for medical tests increased by 5.36% in January compared to December, aggravating an already higher increase of 15.16% in annual shift .
General practitioners as well as specialized clinics also became 4.28% more expensive in January, while dental services experienced a monthly increase of 2.22% – a huge increase of 26.16% compared to the same period of the past year.
Hospital accusations were not spared either, costs jumping by 0.36% in January only and from 13.09% in annual shift. Meanwhile, drug prices continued to rise, increasing 0.52% last month and increasing 17.48% in the past year.
Overall, health expenses increased by 1.27% in January, increasing pressures on already overwhelmed households that find it difficult to afford basic and essential medical care.
Analysts say that with inflation not showing any sign of slowdown, this shocking increase in health care costs makes a huge number on the physical and mental well-being of the financially compromised public.
In Pakistan, people in general – especially children and the elderly – often succumb to the complications of treatable diseases due to inaccessibility focused on basic health care.
The inflation rate fell to its lowest in more than nine years, falling to 2.4% in annual shift in January, the statistics office announced on Monday. Inflation was considerably cooled, going from 28.3% in January 2024.
Consumer prices in January increased by 0.2% compared to the previous month, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The country of South Asia, currently reinforced by an installation of $ 7 billion in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) granted in September, sails in an economic recovery.
The IMF should examine Pakistan’s progress by March, the government and the central bank expressing the confidence in achieving its objectives.
The rate of inflation of major titles fell to 4.1% in December, its lowest in more than six years, helped by favorable basic effects. It was lower than the government’s forecasts and down compared to a summit of several decades of around 40% in May 2023.
According to economists, consumer inflation is decreasing due to the statistical basic effect, which is also supported by the stability of currencies and the drop in food and energy prices.
However, the reality on the ground remains completely different, because consumers continue to manage the cost of living constantly increasing, these statistics not being translated by a real relief of the prices of the essentials of the essentials.
Additional Reuters entry