The imposition of an 18% sales tax on essential medical devices and diagnostic equipment is inflating the cost of healthcare in Pakistan and placing life-saving treatment out of reach for millions of patients, health experts and industry representatives warned on Saturday.

They say that before any medicine or surgical procedure is prescribed, accurate diagnosis through medical devices is the starting point—and taxing this critical first step is worsening an already fragile healthcare landscape.

Even charitable institutions like the Indus Hospital network, which provide free-of-cost care to thousands of patients every day, are struggling to cope with the financial burden passed onto them by suppliers due to the General Sales Tax (GST) regime.