In the last 16 months, Pakistan has imported an anti-rabies and anti-snake venom vaccines worth of Rs2.65 billion from India.
In a report published on Wednesday, by The Nation, Pakistan’s local newspaper, which stated that “As the National Institute of Health has failed to meet the capacity of manufacturing of the vaccines as per the country demand. Pakistan imported the anti-rabies and anti-snakes venom vaccines worth of Rs 2.65 billion from India in last 16 months.”
Citing the documents submitted by The Ministry of National Health Services, to a response to Senator Rehman Malik, who asked for “the quality and the value of the vaccines imported from India and the capacity of Pakistan to manufacturing those vaccines locally.”
To which, National Health Service said that “As both the anti-dog, and anti-snake venom serum were manufactured in Pakistan by the NIH. While a private company manufactured anti-snake venom serum locally.”
“As the capacity from both manufacturers was not enough to fulfill the country’s due. To which the vaccines being imported by duly-approved registration holders of these products from India,” the document stated.
The document also said, “The total amount of import in the last 16 month from India was of Rs 2561.27 million.”
Discussing on the import of medicines, and vaccines from India, Senator Malik said, “To decrease the shortage of Snake venom serum, and the rabies vaccines, it should make a mandatory for the local manufacturers to produce these vaccines.”
“It was a pity that vaccines were being imported from India and China. When Pakistan itself was self-sufficient in providing raw medical material, to that the vaccines manufactured here would be much more affordable than importing from India and China,” Malik said