Pakistan Moves to Boost Local Vaccine Production
The government is accelerating efforts to promote domestic vaccine manufacturing to strengthen health security and reduce import dependence.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, chaired a high-level meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Incentivizing Local Manufacturing of Vaccines at the Ministry of National Health Services.
The meeting reviewed progress on a National Vaccine Policy, key regulatory challenges, and mechanisms to encourage private-sector participation.US to share 80m Vaccine doses with World
Khan said the initiative follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directive to establish self-sufficiency in vaccine production and biotechnology. A high-level committee has been formed to oversee the policy framework, which aims to promote indigenous manufacturing through fiscal incentives, public–private partnerships, and technology transfer arrangements.
He stressed that domestic vaccine production is critical to Pakistan’s national health security and economic resilience, noting that the country’s annual vaccine import bill exceeds $200 million, according to the Ministry of National Health Services (2024 data). Local production, he said, would not only cut costs but also shield the country from supply chain disruptions seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The forthcoming National Vaccine Policy will serve as a roadmap for capacity building, research collaboration, and regulatory reform. Khan added that the government is working closely with international organizations and investors to facilitate technology transfer, with the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) playing key roles in implementation.
He also highlighted the potential for job creation and sectoral growth, noting that the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries could emerge as major contributors to GDP if properly incentivized. The proposed Pakistan Vaccine Manufacturers Alliance will further strengthen institutional coordination among public and private stakeholders.
Pakistan’s renewed focus on biotechnology aligns with its broader industrial modernization strategy, supported by the Ministry of Industries and Production and the Planning Commission. As per the World Health Organization, over 60% of low- and middle-income countries are pursuing local vaccine manufacturing to improve health sovereignty—a trend Pakistan is now actively embracing.