Health authorities raise alarms over escalating cholera risks in Pakistan amid devastating floods and overwhelmed medical services.
As Pakistan grapples with widespread flooding, experts in public health caution that without swift intervention, the country faces a looming cholera epidemic.
Since late June, unusually intense monsoon rains have triggered floods and landslides, impacting over 6 million individuals, according to data from the United Nations.
The National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan reports that the calamity has claimed more than 1,000 lives, damaged upwards of 12,500 homes, and resulted in the loss of approximately 6,500 livestock, alongside extensive crop destruction nationwide.
Displacement has affected over 2 million people, with health officials emphasizing that these vulnerable populations are at heightened risk for waterborne illnesses such as cholera.
Cholera, caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, spreads primarily through ingestion of contaminated water or food. Symptoms include profuse diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps, which can lead to death within hours if untreated. However, timely administration of oral rehydration salts or antibiotics can be lifesaving.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Shobha Luxmi highlights that the surge in temporary shelters exacerbates unsanitary conditions, significantly increasing infection risks.
“Ensuring access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation, and adequate nutrition must be central to relief operations,” Dr. Luxmi stressed.
The British Red Cross has also expressed concern over insufficient sanitation facilities in emergency shelters and public buildings, noting a critical shortage of toilets and handwashing stations.
“Such deficiencies facilitate the rapid transmission of diseases like dysentery and cholera, especially in overcrowded environments,” the organization stated.
Climate change is recognized as a key driver behind the severity of Pakistan’s flooding.
Despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan ranks among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate impacts. The 2025 Climate Risk Index identified Pakistan as the most affected nation based on 2022 data.
In 2022, unprecedented heatwaves followed by torrential rains submerged nearly one-third of the country, impacting 33 million people, causing over 1,700 fatalities, and inflicting $14.8 billion in damages alongside $15.2 billion in economic losses.
Subsequent floods and a deadly heatwave last year further compounded the crisis, resulting in thousands more affected and nearly 600 deaths.
Rising temperatures are accelerating the melting of Pakistan’s more than 13,000 glaciers, heightening flood risks, damaging infrastructure, threatening communities, and exacerbating water shortages.
Earlier this year, Amnesty International released a report highlighting the inadequacies of Pakistan’s healthcare and disaster response systems, particularly in protecting children and the elderly-groups most vulnerable to climate-induced health emergencies.
Laura Mills, a researcher with Amnesty’s crisis response team, remarked, “The intensification and unpredictability of weather events due to climate change place children and older adults in Pakistan at the forefront of this crisis, exposing them to extreme heat and flooding that disproportionately increase mortality and illness.”
She added, “Pakistan’s healthcare infrastructure is chronically underfunded and overstretched even during stable periods. The added pressures from climate emergencies overwhelm the system, leaving many without essential medical care.”
This article was created in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center.
