MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal addresses a press conference in Karachi on Thursday, January 22, 2026. SCREENGRAB
ISLAMABAD:
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has warned that Pakistan could face an annual vaccine bill of up to $1.2 billion by 2031 if domestic manufacturing is not established, calling the current reliance on imported vaccines a looming economic burden.
In a press conference, Kamal said that the government is currently providing 13 types of vaccines for free to citizens, but none are produced locally. Pakistan, with a population of approximately 240 million, is the world’s fifth most populous country and records about 6.2 million births each year, significantly increasing vaccine demand.
At present, he said, Pakistan imports all vaccines with the support of international organizations at an annual cost of about $400 million. Of this amount, 49% is covered by international partners, while the state covers the remaining 51%, which keeps the immediate financial pressure relatively manageable.
However, Kamal warned that international aid is scheduled to end after 2031. “If Pakistan fails to develop its own vaccine production capacity by then, the annual cost is expected to rise sharply to $1.2 billion, which will put a lot of pressure on the national economy,” he warned.
“We procure vaccines through GAVI, which used to come from India,” Kamal said, referring to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. During and after the May 2025 conflict with India, he added, this arrival has stopped.
He said the government has already started preparatory work instead of waiting for donor support to lapse. He said that Pakistan aims to achieve self-sufficiency in vaccine production in the near future.
Comparing with regional and international examples, he noted that Saudi Arabia has been working on vaccine development for the past decade, while Indonesia already produces two million doses annually.
