Pakistan has been hit hard following India’s successful Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 innocent lives. After suffering losses in trade and water access, Pakistan is now facing a deepening public health crisis. Pakistani ministers have warned that the situation could worsen significantly as medical supplies from India are cut off. If the dispute is not resolved soon, Pakistan could face an additional financial burden of nearly Rs 10,000 crore.
One of the most serious consequences has been the suspension of vaccine imports from India after Operation Sindoor. Pakistan’s Health Minister, Mustafa Kamal, said the country is already feeling the impact. He warned that if affordable vaccines are no longer available, Pakistan could face both a health emergency and an economic shock. The minister admitted that long-term dependence on foreign suppliers has now backfired. At present, Pakistan provides free vaccines for 13 diseases to children nationwide. With around 6.2 million births each year, the cost of maintaining this programme continues to rise. Much of this burden is managed with assistance from international organisations such as the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. A significant share of these vaccines is manufactured in India. Despite long-standing border tensions, India had been supplying vaccines to Pakistan at relatively low prices, offering critical relief to Islamabad. India also extended vaccine support during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, following last year’s clashes, supply chains, including vaccines, were severely disrupted.
Pakistan currently imports vaccines worth about $400 million annually. Nearly 49 per cent of this is financed by the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, with Pakistan covering the remainder. Mustafa Kamal revealed that international funding for vaccines is expected to end by 2031. If Pakistan fails to establish domestic vaccine production by then, the country could face an additional liability of $1.2 billion.
Officials estimate Pakistan needs around 140 million vaccine doses each year. To address this, Islamabad plans to begin local manufacturing with support from Saudi Arabia. An 11-member high-level Saudi delegation recently visited Pakistan to assess the feasibility of such a project. However, authorities believe that at least 300 million doses would need to be produced annually to make the venture economically viable.
