Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, Minister of State, addressed the 4th Meeting of the OIC Vaccine Manufacturers Group during the “Way Forward” session held at the Al-Khwarizmi Conference Room, OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat, following a change in the meeting agenda.
In his address, Dr. Malik emphasized that vaccines are essential public goods and central to health security, equity, and sustainable development across OIC Member States. He noted that global vaccine manufacturing remains highly concentrated, with more than 70 percent of vaccines produced in fewer than ten countries, leaving many low- and middle-income countries dependent on external suppliers.
Referring to lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, he highlighted persistent vulnerabilities in antigen production, technology access, regulatory maturity, and supply chain resilience, particularly within the OIC region. While acknowledging existing vaccine manufacturing capacity in countries such as Indonesia, Türkiye, Iran, and Egypt, he stressed that capacity across the OIC remains fragmented and requires coordinated action.
Dr. Malik underscored the importance of the SESRIC mapping study as a foundational tool to assess manufacturing capacity, regulatory readiness, and demand across Member States, enabling evidence-based collaboration, technology transfer, and targeted investment.
Sharing Pakistan’s experience, he stated that vaccine manufacturing has been declared a strategic national priority, supported by a National Vaccine Policy, regulatory strengthening, fiscal incentives, Special Economic Zones, and long-term public procurement commitments. He highlighted Pakistan’s focus on public-private partnerships, G2G and B2B cooperation, and proposed initiatives such as a National Vaccine Fund and National Vaccine Alliance to mobilize investment and de-risk projects.
Dr. Malik also noted progress toward achieving WHO Maturity Level 3 for Pakistan’s drug regulatory authority, with support from WHO EMRO, and efforts to establish WHO-compliant and prequalified vaccine manufacturing facilities. He further informed participants that the Asian Development Bank has conditionally expressed readiness to provide up to USD 250 million in soft financing for viable vaccine manufacturing projects.
Concluding his remarks, Dr. Malik called for an implementation-focused roadmap with clear timelines and shared responsibility, urging OIC Member States to strengthen collaboration to build a resilient, self-reliant, and future-ready vaccine manufacturing ecosystem.
