Federal Minister for Health Meets Gavi CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar on Sidelines of the World Health Assembly
Geneva : On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Federal Minister for Health, Mr. Mustafa Kamal, held a high-level meeting with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sania Nishtar, to discuss strengthening Pakistan’s immunization coverage and advancing local vaccine manufacturing.
The meeting focused on Pakistan’s efforts to enhance immunization coverage across the country. Minister Kamal highlighted the progress made so far and reiterated the government’s determination to ensure every child receives life-saving vaccines. “We are witnessing improvement in immunization coverage, and effective steps are being taken to further accelerate this progress,” he said.
A key topic of discussion was the development of local vaccine manufacturing capabilities. Minister Kamal shared that the government is formulating a comprehensive strategy to enhance domestic production. “There is great potential in the Pakistani market. By producing vaccines locally, we can not only meet national demand but also save valuable foreign exchange,” he stated.
Dr. Sania Nishtar conveyed Gavi’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in this endeavor. She offered technical assistance from Gavi experts to assess Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector and explore opportunities for vaccine production.
Other key areas of collaboration discussed during the meeting included:
Support for the planned introduction of the HPV vaccine in Pakistan.
Capacity building for human resources working in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to improve coverage and service delivery.
Strengthening supply chain systems to ensure efficiency and resilience in vaccine delivery.
Facilitating coordination with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to support indigenous vaccine production through strategic partnerships and investment.
Minister Kamal emphasized the government’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment for investment in vaccine production. “We are determined to encourage investment in the health sector and will take all necessary steps to facilitate and support interested partners,” he said.
The meeting underlined the strong partnership between Pakistan and Gavi, aiming to advance public health outcomes through innovation, collaboration, and self-reliance.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
