The government is working to increase local production of medicines and vaccines and expand Pakistan’s health and pharmaceutical exports through regulatory and policy reforms.

The issues were discussed at a meeting held under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) framework and jointly chaired by the Federal Minister for Health and the Director General of SIFC.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Health, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Defence Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PN&MC), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Ministry of Commerce attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed several ongoing initiatives, including local vaccine manufacturing, the plasma fractionation project and a proposed national health policy package.

Officials also discussed the drug track-and-trace system and measures to increase Pakistan’s potential to export health and pharmaceutical products.

The participants focused on speeding up implementation by improving coordination between the relevant institutions.

The discussions also covered increasing investment, developing local technology and adding more value to products manufactured in Pakistan.

The government is also looking to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and improve the sector’s competitiveness in international markets.

The meeting reviewed ways to create more opportunities for investment, local production and exports in Pakistan’s health and pharmaceutical sectors.