EDITORIAL: Pakistan’s decision to pursue joint local production of vaccines under its Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), in collaboration with Saudi Arabia, marks a potentially transformative moment for the country’s public health and industrial policy.
What began as a supply-chain disruption triggered by regional hostilities has exposed a deeper structural vulnerability — and, in doing so, opened the door to a more sustainable and sovereign approach to immunisation. For decades, Pakistan has relied heavily on imported vaccines, many manufactured in India and procured through international partners.
This arrangement remained workable until recent events underscored how fragile such dependence can be. The refusal of Indian manufacturers to supply vaccines intended for Pakistan, even through intermediaries, brought into sharp focus the risks of outsourcing a critical public health function.
The financial argument for local production is compelling. Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal recently told a Senate committee that Pakistan currently spends USD300-400 million annually on vaccines, with nearly half of this amount financed by development partners such as Gavi, WHO, UNICEF, and the Gates Foundation.
This support, however, is not indefinite. By 2030, Pakistan is expected to lose most external assistance and will need to fully self-finance its immunisation programme. According to the health minister, annual vaccine requirements could then rise to as much as USD1.2 billion. Meeting such costs through imports alone would place an enormous strain on public finances.
Beyond cost, vaccine security is a strategic imperative. Disruptions in supply can reverse hard-won gains against diseases such as polio, measles, and hepatitis, carrying long-term human and economic consequences. Developing domestic or joint production capacity would reduce exposure to geopolitical tensions, currency volatility, and global supply bottlenecks — lessons the world learned painfully during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The phased approach outlined by the government—beginning with packaging and finishing and gradually progressing to full-scale manufacturing—is sensible. It allows for incremental capacity building, regulatory learning, and risk management.
However, success will depend on more than memoranda of understanding. Pakistan must invest seriously in research and development, and regulatory strengthening to ensure full compliance with WHO quality standards. Otherwise, local production can become inefficient, substandard—or both.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026