Climate Shocks as a Growing Pediatric Health Emergency in Pakistan: A Call to Action.

Abstract

Pakistan is experiencing a surge in climate-driven health emergencies, with children facing the most severe consequences. In the aftermath of the 2022 floods and the subsequent droughts, rates of severe and moderate acute malnutrition among children in affected regions rose dramatically, while outbreaks of malaria and dengue overwhelmed fragile health systems. Drawing on recent data and regional studies, this article outlines how hydrologic extremes, both floods and droughts, initiate a cascade of pediatric health crises: malnutrition, infectious disease, and developmental delays. The commentary calls for a realignment in Pakistan's climate response strategy, advocating for child-centered interventions including anticipatory health deployments triggered by climate forecasts, climate-resilient crop cultivation, integrated nutrition-infection-WASH programs, and expanded pediatric climate-health research. By framing climate shocks as pediatric mass-casualty events, this article urges policymakers and public health stakeholders to act swiftly to protect the country's youngest generation from escalating, preventable losses.