ISLAMABAD/GENEVA: Pakistan has pledged full facilitation for Chinese investments in its healthcare sector, with a focus on local pharmaceutical production, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and critical vaccine supply.
The announcement came during a high-level bilateral meeting between Federal Minister for Health, Dr. Mustafa Kamal, and China’s Minister of Health on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday.
The meeting marked a significant step forward in expanding health cooperation between the two countries. Minister Kamal reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for Chinese companies seeking to invest in health-related industries, including the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), vaccines, diagnostic equipment, and medical devices.
“We are ready to extend full support and facilitation to Chinese partners in the healthcare sector. Pakistan has the capacity and infrastructure to host such investment, and we believe this cooperation can be mutually transformative,” said Kamal.
To institutionalize this commitment, the minister announced that a dedicated China desk will be established at Pakistan’s National Institute of Health (NIH). The desk, which is expected to be formally notified in the coming days, will serve as a one-window operation for all Chinese healthcare companies operating in or entering Pakistan.
In response, the Chinese Health Minister welcomed the proposal and committed to appointing a focal person from the Chinese side to ensure smooth and consistent coordination with Pakistani health authorities. He praised Minister Kamal for his proactive engagement and consistent follow-up on earlier discussions regarding healthcare cooperation.
The Chinese side also pledged immediate support in providing Pakistan with urgently needed APIs and vaccines, particularly those in short supply due to global production constraints and rising domestic demand. This includes potential support in technology transfer, capacity-building, and long-term supply contracts.
Both ministers agreed to expand collaboration in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) — a field where China has demonstrated global leadership. Pakistan will look into opportunities to integrate TCM into its public health ecosystem through pilot programs, training of Pakistani practitioners, and regulatory harmonization.
According to sources present at the meeting, discussions also touched upon joint research projects, public-private partnerships, and potential manufacturing collaborations between Chinese and Pakistani pharmaceutical firms.
Minister Kamal emphasized that Pakistan views its relationship with China in the health sector as a strategic partnership, not just a transactional arrangement. “This is not just about supply chains. It’s about building long-term institutional bridges between our health systems,” he said.
The engagement comes as Pakistan seeks to diversify its healthcare inputs, reduce reliance on Western pharmaceutical imports, and strengthen domestic production in the wake of recurring supply shocks and rising healthcare costs.
The meeting in Geneva follows a broader trend of increased engagement between Islamabad and Beijing under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which now includes a health corridor among its newly prioritized sectors.
Officials from both countries are expected to continue technical discussions in the coming weeks to finalize investment frameworks, regulatory alignments, and timelines for deliverables under the new initiative.
