Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal held a meeting with Dr. Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to discuss strengthening Pakistan’s national immunization system and advancing local vaccine production. The meeting focused on strategies to ensure sustainable vaccine supply, improve healthcare, and protect children from preventable diseases across the country.
Mustafa Kamal emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to developing domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity, describing it as a strategic priority for long-term sustainability and public health security. He praised Gavi’s extensive support for immunization programs in Pakistan and appealed to the alliance to continue assisting the country in locally producing essential vaccines.
The Health Minister stressed the importance of maintaining uninterrupted vaccine supplies for Pakistani children and requested Gavi’s help in sourcing vaccines from countries with established supply systems. He also highlighted the urgent need for the hexavalent vaccine, underscoring its significance in the context of Pakistan’s current financial challenges. Kamal called for measures to safeguard access to life-saving vaccines despite economic pressures and reiterated the government’s resolve to continue protecting every child from preventable diseases, with particular emphasis on ongoing efforts to eradicate polio.
Dr. Sania Nishtar acknowledged recent positive steps taken in Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), noting significant progress in vaccine coverage, monitoring, and strategic planning. She assured that the key issues raised by the Minister would receive full attention and reaffirmed Gavi’s commitment to ensuring vaccine availability for Pakistani children. Dr. Nishtar also indicated that Pakistan’s priorities would hold a central place in Gavi’s future policy decisions.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Health Syed Waqarul Hassan, the Director Generals for Health, FDI, and the ministry’s DG Two. Representatives from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, FDI, Gates Foundation, and the polio program were also present, reflecting a broad partnership in advancing immunization and public health goals in Pakistan.
