Indigenous vaccine production capacity to be enhanced

Islamabad: Future prospects of collaboration between the public and private sectors to enhance Pakistan’s indigenous vaccine production capacity were debated Thursday at the National Institute of Health (NIH), which organized a daylong forum on the subject with the participation of leading pharmaceutical companies, public and private sector research and academic institutions, non-governmental organisations, and various ministries and divisions.

Chaired by secretary health Muhammad Ayub Sheikh, the forum took stock of vaccine production in Pakistan, local demand in public and private sectors, current routines of meeting these demands by various institutions, role of the private sector in vaccine production and investment in this sector, and impediments to such investments.

It may be recalled that Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), in its recent meeting, had desired broadening the base for indigenous vaccine production to meet national demand, to ensure vaccine security, and to save foreign exchange.

NIH is a public sector institute for basic vaccine manufacturing in Pakistan. It has basic as well as secondary vaccine manufacture license and is currently producing 10 registered products through basic as well as shared vaccine manufacturing strategies. It is also involved in routine diagnostic and specialised tests with reference to disease surveillance and control, and food and drug testing.

A report on the discussion will be submitted to the board of directors of NIH and Planning Division.