By Mehrab Shah Afridi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is moving rapidly to develop local vaccine production, with the government aiming to manufacture all essential childhood vaccines domestically before 2030, the federal health minister announced on Monday.
Addressing an event in Islamabad, Minister for National Health Services Mustafa Kamal highlighted the country’s current dependence on imports, noting that all thirteen vaccines routinely administered to children are sourced from abroad. He said the government covers slightly more than half of the costs, with donors funding the remainder, a model that leaves Pakistan vulnerable to global supply disruptions and price fluctuations.
The minister underlined the government’s plans to collaborate with countries including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and China to build local production capacity. He added that Pakistan possesses the technical and industrial potential not only to assemble vaccines but also to produce the raw materials required for their manufacture.
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