Pakistan's Economy Strained by Lack of Affordable Indian Vaccines, Health Minister Warns
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Pakistan's Economy Strained by Lack of Cost-Effective Indian Vaccines: Health Minister
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Firstpost•07-02-2026, 17:51
Pakistan's Economy Strained by Lack of Cost-Effective Indian Vaccines: Health Minister
•Pakistan's economy is strained due to the lack of access to cost-effective Indian vaccines, a supply that ceased after the May 2025 conflict.
•Health Minister Mustafa Kamal stated that Pakistan now imports vaccines at an annual cost of approximately USD 400 million, with the country responsible for 51% of the total cost.
•Without local vaccine production, Pakistan could face an annual import bill of USD 1.2 billion by 2031, as international support for procurement is expected to end.
•Historically, Pakistan relied on GAVI, which sourced most vaccines from India, for affordable access to essential vaccines.
•Pakistan, with 6.2 million births annually, provides 13 types of vaccines free of charge, none of which are produced locally, highlighting an urgent need for domestic production.
