ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is moving toward indigenous vaccine production through strategic partnerships with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, as continued reliance on imported vaccines could trigger a major financial and public health crisis after 2031, when international support is set to taper off.
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Syed Mustafa Kamal, told a press conference on Wednesday that Pakistan’s routine immunisation programme currently provides free vaccines against 13 diseases, reaching nearly 250 million people nationwide, with around 6.2 million children born every year. The vaccines are procured with support from global partners including Gavi, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Gates Foundation.
Mustafa Kamal said Pakistan presently bears about 51 percent of the annual vaccine procurement cost, estimated at $400 to 500 million, while 49 percent is covered through international assistance. This support, he said, will decline over the coming years, leaving Pakistan fully responsible for vaccine financing by 2030-31. “By 2031, Pakistan will have to purchase vaccines entirely from its own resources, and by then the annual cost is expected to rise to about $1.2 billion,” he said, warning that without timely alternatives, the country could face serious disruptions in its immunisation programme.
Calling prevention the foundation of healthcare, the minister said vaccines remain the first line of defence against diseases. He noted that Pakistan currently vaccinates children against 13 diseases, while countries such as Saudi Arabia cover far more, with some nations offering protection against up to 60 diseases.
To address the looming challenge, Mustafa Kamal said the Ministry of National Health Services has spent the past seven months reviewing Pakistan’s immunisation system, existing gaps, and future needs, and has developed a comprehensive strategy for local vaccine manufacturing. He said he personally engaged with health ministers and industry leaders in China, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia to seek collaboration, technology transfer and investment.
He disclosed that an 11-member high-level Saudi delegation, led by Adviser to the Saudi Ministry of Health Nizar bin Hariri, is on a two-day official visit to Pakistan to assess local capacity. The delegation is visiting the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), National Institute of Health (NIH) and selected private sector facilities. “The discussions have been extremely productive, and the Saudi delegation has shown strong interest after reviewing Pakistan’s technical capacity and potential,” Kamal said.
He added that Indonesia’s state-owned bio-pharmaceutical company has assured full cooperation and technology transfer, with agreements nearing finalisation. Under the emerging framework, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Pakistan are exploring a trilateral partnership to position Pakistan as a regional hub for vaccine production.
The health minister said Pakistan has also formulated its first-ever National Vaccine Policy, which has been submitted to the prime minister. The policy envisages the creation of a Vaccine Alliance, allocation of specific vaccines to selected manufacturers and government buy-back guarantees to make vaccine production commercially viable for local and foreign investors. He acknowledged that vaccine manufacturing is not a highly profitable business, as vaccines are largely purchased by governments rather than individuals, making sustained policy support essential.
Pakistan currently requires around 140 million vaccine doses annually. However, the minister said domestic production would need to scale up to at least 300 million doses to achieve economic feasibility, with surplus output exported to regional and international markets. Describing the initiative as a paradigm shift for Pakistan’s public health sector, Kamal said the move toward indigenous vaccine production would strengthen national health security and reduce long-term financial vulnerability.
