ISLAMABAD – Pakistan may lose donor funding for 13 important vaccines by 2030, triggering concerns over sharply rising costs and potential strain on the public health system unless domestic production is expanded, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on Monday.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Kamal said Pakistan currently spends between $350 million and $400 million annually on vaccines under a cost-sharing arrangement with international partners, including the World Health Organization, GAVI, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which together cover about 49% of total costs.
He warned that once donor support ends, the government would be required to fully finance vaccine procurement, potentially increasing annual expenditure to around $1.2 billion by 2030.
Kamal cautioned that any disruption in vaccine supplies could leave large segments of the population unvaccinated and significantly increase pressure on healthcare facilities by 2032. He said the government is working on a long-term strategy to boost local vaccine manufacturing and has begun talks with international partners in China and Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan currently needs about 140 million vaccine doses annually. However, Kamal noted that sustainable local production would require capacity of roughly 400 million doses per year. A Saudi delegation is expected to visit Islamabad on January 28 to discuss possible joint manufacturing initiatives.
Separately, the director general of health confirmed recent circulation of the H3N2 influenza strain, with a positivity rate of 13.5% among tested patients over the past two to three months. He said existing flu vaccines remain effective and that the National Institute of Health has issued multiple advisories to address the situation
