KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has issued a critical review of the newly announced Sindh health budget allocation of Rs393.16 billion for the financial year 2026-27. A statement issued by the PMA said that while the provincial government continues to showcase multi-billion rupee grants to select non-governmental organisations (NGOs), public-private partnerships, and autonomous specialised bodies, it is concerning that the foundational pillars of public health — disease prevention and primary healthcare — have been “completely neglected.” A deep dive into the budgetary allocations indicates a structural crisis where a massive portion of the overarching public health fund continues to be swallowed by recurring administrative affairs, bureaucratic overhead, and bloated salary setups, rather than delivering active patient care, vaccines, or grassroots wellness, it added. The PMA said the budget heavily favours centralised urban curative setups by funnelling large-scale grants into specialised treatment.