Communicable diseases still remain a major public health concern and are the prime cause of morbidity and mortality, due to socioeconomic, environmental and behavioural risk factors, in Pakistan.
Pakistan bears a significant portion of the regional burden of many communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and the burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, also pose a significant regional threat.
Pakistan is at high risk of epidemics due to communicable diseases because of overcrowded cities, unsafe drinking- water, inadequate sanitation, poor socioeconomic conditions, low health awareness and inadequate vaccination coverage.
Vaccine-preventable, foodborne, zoonotic, health care-related and communicable diseases pose significant threats to human health and can threaten international health security.