Islamabad: Pakistan and Türkiye have agreed to enhance their technical cooperation in the health sector, focusing on vaccine manufacturing, healthcare technology, regulatory systems, and capacity building. This development was highlighted during a meeting between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Health Services, Mustafa Kamal, and a high-level technical delegation from Türkiye.

According to Press Information Department, the Turkish delegation’s visit aims to evaluate Pakistan’s capabilities for local vaccine production and explore potential areas for collaboration to improve the country’s health sector. Mustafa Kamal emphasized the importance of the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and Türkiye and the significance of expanding health sector cooperation.

Minister Kamal outlined Pakistan’s strategy for achieving self-reliance in its health system, including the formulation of a National Vaccine Policy to enhance vaccine security and reduce import dependence. Currently, Pakistan imports all vaccines under its national immunization program, with international partners covering part of the costs. As external support is expected to phase out by 2030/2031, local vaccine manufacturing has become a national priority.

Pakistan has initiated agreements with an Indonesian biopharmaceutical company for local vaccine production, marking a step toward self-reliance. Additionally, Kamal discussed regulatory reforms, noting the digitization of 90 percent of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and the expected achievement of WHO Maturity Level 3 by April 2027.

The minister announced plans for a comprehensive universal medical record system using citizens’ national identity card numbers as medical record numbers. The meeting facilitated discussions on mutual interests and practical avenues for enhanced collaboration, with both countries agreeing to leverage their expertise and resources for a sustainable and resilient health system in Pakistan.