Saudi Delegation Visits Pakistan to Boost Local Vaccine Production
Islamabad: A high-level delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by Senior Advisor to the Minister of Industry Nizar Al-Hariri, arrived in Pakistan to advance bilateral cooperation in vaccine manufacturing.
The delegation was received by senior officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A formal meeting was held under the leadership of Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, during which detailed presentations were made on Pakistan’s current infrastructure, capacity, and future demand for locally produced vaccines. Briefings were delivered by the heads of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and the National Institute of Health.
Minister Kamal noted that he has held multiple meetings with Saudi health authorities and the Saudi Minister of Industries on the local production of vaccines. Highlighting the scale of the challenge, he said Pakistan’s population of nearly 240 million makes it the fifth most populous country in the world, with around 6.2 million children born annually—roughly the same as the entire population increase of New Zealand each year.
Currently, the Pakistani government provides 13 types of vaccines free of cost to citizens, all of which are imported with support from international partners. The annual cost of these vaccines is approximately $400 million, with 49 percent funded by international partners and 51 percent borne by the government.
Minister Kamal warned that after 2031, international support is expected to end, meaning Pakistan will have to fully cover vaccine costs from its own resources. Without local production, annual vaccine expenditure could reach $1.2 billion by 2031, posing a significant burden on the national economy.
Under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, the Ministry of Health has initiated urgent measures to meet this challenge. Practical steps are underway to develop local production of vaccines for 13 diseases. Minister Kamal emphasized that collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the health sector could serve as a model for the region.
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