Most Common Diseases in Pakistan

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As the population of Pakistan is increasing day by day, the number of diseases is also increasing which may become lethal if not treated at right time. World Health Organization (WHO) ranked Pakistan at 122 out of 190 countries regarding health care standard. Unhealthy foods, polluted environments, poverty, lack of financial and educational systems are the major causes of a higher rate of health issues. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are ten most common lethal diseases prevailing in Pakistan i.e.

  1. Ischemic Heart Disease
  2. Cancer
  3. Lower Respiratory Infections
  4. Stroke
  5. Diarrheal Diseases
  6. Neonatal Encephalopathy
  7. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  8. Tuberculosis
  9. Pre-Term Birth Complications
  10. Diabetes




    1.    Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease is also known as coronary heart disease is a type of chest pain in which the heart does not get enough blood flow which may alleviate pain in the heart. Blood flow is disturbed when cholesterol particles starts to accumulate in the arteries which later forms plaque in the coronary arteries to stop enough supply of oxygen to the heart. These small plaques will damage heart tissues inducing angina and breath shortening leading towards sudden heart failure. Causes of ischemic heart disease are:

  • Obesity
  • Inactivity of body
  • History of coronary heart disease in family
  • Smoking tobacco
  • Alcohol abuse
  • Diabetes
  • The higher level of triglycerides and cholesterol
  • Abnormal protein deposition in tissues and blood vessels, amyloidosis
  • Last stage of kidney disease
  • Hypertension

According to the CDC, about 8% population of Pakistan is dying with this disease, every year and almost 12 people are dying due to heart attack every hour in Pakistan. Ischemic heart disease is becoming the most common lethal disease in Pakistan because of the certain factors which are: polluted environmental condition, unhealthy food such as junk food, oily food, etc., lack of exercise, no treatments available in rural areas, unawareness of the disease and the financial crisis.


2.    Cancer

According to the CDC, there are two most the common type of cancer prevailing in Pakistan i.e. breast cancer and lung cancer due to which 8% of the Pakistani population is affected every year. Almost 83,000 women of Pakistan are reported to have breast cancer and due to unawareness about the symptoms and lack treatments about 40,000 females lost their lives every year. Breast cancer usually begins with the production of abnormal cells in the inner lining of milk-producing ducts known as invasive ductal carcinoma while in some cases abnormal cells produce in the glandular cells of the breast known as invasive lobular carcinoma. Causes of breast cancer involves:

  • Hormonal changes
  • Environmental factors
  • Family history of breast cancer 5-10%
  • Genetic mutations
  • Obesity

Lung cancer is 2nd most common deadly disease in Pakistan and tobacco smoking is the main cause of lung disorder. It is most common in teenagers and almost 30% of people are addicted over the past decade to smoking. Tobacco smoking contains 73 carcinogenic elements due to which lung start forming abnormal cells and these cells may transfer to other body parts. Other risk factors of lung cancer are:

  • Passive smoking
  • Marijuana smoke
  • Radon gas
  • Asbestos
  • Air pollution
  • Inherited/genetics 8%


3.    Lower Respiratory Infections

Lower respiratory infections are generally of two types i.e. pneumonia and acute bronchitis occurs due to the viral or bacterial infections. In pneumonia, alveolar sacs within lungs are infected due to which inflammation occurs and air does not pass properly. Death is cause by most lethal type of pneumococcal bacteria i.e. streptococcus pneumoniae. Bronchitis is caused by Haemophilus influenzae and other types of influenza viruses. These infections are generally treated with vaccine. Research says that these infections are most common in children from age 5 to 7 and according to CDC 8% of Pakistani population die every year due to lower respiratory infections because of the following reasons:

  • Viruses and bacteria
  • Malnutrition
  • Lack of vaccines and treatments
  • Financial crisis in rural areas


4.    Stroke

Stroke is a kind of brain malfunction when blood supply is limited to the brain cells along with the nutrition and oxygen. There are two types of stroke i.e. Ischemic stroke and Hemorrhagic stroke. In Ischemic stroke, capillaries of brain narrowed or blocked by some fatty acid’s accumulation while in hemorrhagic stroke blood vessels rupture and internal bleeding starts within brain. There are certain factors leads towards stroke e.g.;

  • Accidents
  • Hypertension
  • Trauma
  • Protein accumulation in brain’s blood vessels
  • Extra dose of Anticoagulants
  • Aneurysms

In Pakistan, 6% deaths annually occurred due to stroke reported by CDC.


5.    Diarrheal Diseases

Diarrheal diseases are the leading cause of death of children under age 5 due to unhygienic food, water and polluted environment. Pakistan’s 6% population is dying annually due to diarrheal infections and this is more common in rural areas. In diarrhea, intestine is mainly infected with bacteria, viruses or parasites known as gastroenteritis. Studies shows that rotavirus is the cause of some diarrheal infection. It can be treated by;

  • Sanitation
  • Drinking clean water
  • Proper hygiene
  • Antibiotics
  • Vaccination against rotavirus
  • ORS Drinking


6.    Neonatal Encephalopathy

Neonatal encephalopathy is a brain malfunction in new born babies due to lack of oxygen during pregnancy or after the birth of child, this condition is also known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Oxygen deficiency in newborns’ brain can also lead toward damage to other body parts such as lungs, kidney and heart etc. According to CDC, in Pakistan death rate of infants is 5% due to neonatal encephalopathy. Following are the reasons for the increasing number of deaths of infants in Pakistan;

  • Poverty leads towards lack of treatments
  • Malnutrition
  • Genetic disorders
  • Congenital brain malformation
  • Infection/injury in the mother’s womb during pregnancy


7.    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the long-term breathing infection in the lungs because of toxic smoke particles i.e. tobacco smoke or passive smoking which damages the air-sacs and airflow becomes retarded. It is also caused by air pollution generally polluted with industrial fuels, mobile fuels and smoke from the factories. COPD is the reason of increasing number of deaths in developing countries due to unawareness of this disease. CDC reported there is 5% of Pakistani population is dying every year due to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Genetic disorder is also one of the minor causes behind chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.


8.    Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis TB is an infectious deadly disease of lungs caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, mostly common in Asian countries. TB is of two types latent TB and active TB. In latent TB, symptoms do not show because of the inactivated form of bacteria remain in the body but if it is not treated it can convert into active tuberculosis in which symptoms appear as fever. Almost 2 billion people around the globe have latent TB. Causes of developing Tuberculosis include:

  • Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
  • Spread through sneezing and coughing from infected person
  • Patients with AIDS/HIV infected with TB
  • Weak immune system due to different diseases like diabetes and cancer etc.
  • Tobacco smoking leads towards TB

Other forms of TB include bones, joints and brain tuberculosis. Death rate due to TB in Pakistan is 5% reported by CDC. According to WHO Pakistan is ranked at 8 no. out of 22 countries in which TB is vastly developing.

 

9.    Pre-term Birth Complications

According to CDC, death rate is 4% in pre-term birth complications in Pakistan. Pre-term birth complications include a number of infections and disabilities in new born babies. According to WHO, preterm birth is defined as the premature birth of baby completing 37 weeks of pregnancy. Death rate of premature babies is higher in Asian and African countries because of the lack of proper treatment and care of the baby and lack of nutrition. Pre-mature babies have disabilities and diseases in long term complications which include;

  • Jaundice
  • Weak immune system
  • Kidney problems
  • Breathing problems  i.e. Asthma
  • Heart diseases i.e. Apatent Ductus Arteriosus
  • Brain disorders e.g. Cerebral Palsy
  • Vision, hearing and dental problems


10.    Diabetes

In diabetes mellitus, pancreas does not produce enough insulin needed for the cells of body. It is characterized by number of metabolic diseases and long-term high blood sugar level. Frequent urination, fatigue and increased appetite are the main symptoms of diabetes. Long-term diabetes leads towards various diseases such as heart disorder, kidney failure and damage to nervous system. In Pakistan, 7 million people are affected with diabetes and it will increase its ratio in future. CDC reported that there is 3% death rate in Pakistan due to diabetes which is caused by following reasons;

  • Genetic disorder
  • Hormonal problems
  • Obesity
  • Weak immune system
  • Age factor


By: Maryam Baig


References:

  1. Ali, S. R., Ahmed, S., & Lohana, H. (2013). Disease patterns and outcomes of neonatal admissions at a secondary care hospital in Pakistan. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 13(3), 424.
  2. Khan, J. A., & Malik, A. (2003). Tuberculosis in Pakistan: Are We losing the battle?. JOURNAL-PAKISTAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, 53(8), 320-320.
  3. Khealani, B. A., Hameed, B., & Mapari, U. U. (2008). Stroke in Pakistan. Journal of the pakistan medical association, 58(7), 400
  4. Mull, D. S., & Mull, J. D. (1993). Insights from community‐based research on child pneumonia in Pakistan. Medical anthropology, 15(4), 335-352.
  5. Trowell, H. (1972). Ischemic heart disease and dietary fiber. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 25(9), 926-932.
  6. Zafar, J., Bhatti, F., Akhtar, N., Rasheed, U., Bashir, R., Humayun, S., ... & Nazar, M. (2011). Prevalence and risk factors for diabetes mellitus in a selected urban population of a city in Punjab. JPMA-Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 61(1), 40.
  7. https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/countries/pakistan/default.htm

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