Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has warned that Pakistan’s annual vaccine expenditure could rise to $1.2 billion by 2031 if local vaccine manufacturing is not developed, posing a serious burden on the national economy.
Speaking at a press conference, the minister said the Government of Pakistan currently provides 13 types of vaccines free of charge to citizens, but none of these vaccines are produced domestically. With a population of around 240 million, making Pakistan the world’s fifth most populous country, and about 6.2 million births every year, the demand for vaccines continues to grow.
Mustafa Kamal stated that Pakistan imports vaccines with the support of international organizations at an annual cost of approximately $400 million. At present, 49 percent of the cost is covered by international partners, while 51 percent is borne by the government, keeping the financial burden relatively manageable.
However, he cautioned that international support will end after 2031. If Pakistan fails to establish local vaccine production by then, the full cost will fall on the government, potentially increasing annual expenses to $1.2 billion. He added that work on local vaccine manufacturing has already begun without waiting for the 2031 deadline.
The health minister also noted that during wartime, vaccine supplies to Pakistan were disrupted. Currently, vaccines are procured through Gavi, and were previously sourced from India. He expressed confidence that Pakistan would soon be capable of producing its own vaccines.
Citing regional examples, Mustafa Kamal said Saudi Arabia has been working on vaccine development for the past 10 years, while Indonesia produces around two million vaccine doses annually.
“We are a nuclear power. If we can manufacture JF-17 fighter jets, we can certainly produce vaccines as well,” he said.
