The $1.2 billion question: Pakistan pushes OIC Vaccine Alliance to end import dependence
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is standing at the edge of a looming health and economic crisis that could cost the country $1.2 billion every year unless urgent action is taken. With around 6.2 million children born annually, the national vaccination burden is expanding rapidly. At present, Pakistan spends hundreds of millions of dollars on imported vaccines—half of which is covered by international donors. However, this global support will end after 2030, shifting the entire financial load onto Pakistan’s own fragile economy.
If local vaccine production is not established before donor support dries up, experts warn the country could face not only a financial shock but also serious risks to national health security. Interruptions in vaccine supply could reverse decades of progress against deadly childhood diseases, while dependence on foreign manufacturers leaves Pakistan vulnerable to global shortages and political pressures.
To confront this challenge, Pakistan has proposed the creation of a Vaccine Alliance of OIC countries, with Saudi Arabia and other friendly nations as strategic partners. The proposal was presented by Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal during the Fourth Meeting of the OIC Vaccine Manufacturers Group held in Islamabad. He said Pakistan has formulated its first-ever comprehensive vaccine policy, recognizing immunization as the strongest foundation of any healthcare system.
“Vaccines are the bridge from skin care to healthcare,” Mustafa Kamal said, stressing that only local production can protect Pakistan from costly imports and external dependence. He revealed that without domestic manufacturing, Pakistan’s vaccine bill could surge to $1.2 billion annually after 2030, a burden the economy cannot sustain.
Related story: Pakistan finalizes national policy to boost local vaccine production
Parallel to the OIC proposal, Pakistan has accelerated bilateral efforts with Saudi Arabia. A high-level 11-member Saudi delegation, led by senior industry adviser Nizar Al-Hariri, visited Islamabad to explore joint vaccine manufacturing. The delegation held meetings with Pakistani pharmaceutical companies and vaccine producers, praising Pakistan’s growing production capacity and improving regulatory environment.
Federal officials said the partnership aims to create a regional vaccine manufacturing hub, serving not only Pakistan but other Muslim countries facing similar challenges. Mustafa Kamal said local production would save foreign exchange, strengthen national security, and ensure uninterrupted immunization for millions of children every year.
Government sources confirmed that the initiative has full backing of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has directed authorities to fast-track infrastructure, regulatory reforms, and technology transfer. Health experts believe that if successful, the Pakistan–Saudi vaccine partnership could become a model for collective self-reliance in the Muslim world.
With donor support ending, birth rates rising, and global supply chains increasingly fragile, Pakistan’s vaccine strategy is no longer just a health policy—it is becoming a national survival strategy.
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