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Pakistan Introduces Advance Medicines to Fight Diabetes and Obesity​

By Arooj Fatima | Published Feb 25, 2026 | 8:13 pm


Pharmacutical companies in Pakistan have recently introduced advanced GLP-1- and GIP-based medications to help manage chronic diabetes, as the country faces a growing health crisis.

Dr. Waheed said locally manufactured medicines are now priced between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 15,000 per packet, with each packet containing four doses. Previously, imported versions cost between Rs. 150,000 and Rs. 300,000 per packet.

With nearly one in three adults living with high blood sugar, Pakistan is now the third most affected country in the world.

In addition to imported supplies, several pharmaceutical firms have begun manufacturing glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) medications locally. These treatments are designed to control type 2 diabetes and obesity, two conditions that are rapidly increasing across the country.

According to 2025 data from the government, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 34.5 million people in Pakistan are living with diabetes.

More than nine million people remain undiagnosed. At the same time, 57 percent of women and 41 percent of men are overweight or obese, increasing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to seven times.

Dr. Kaiser Waheed, former chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), said that nearly 30 percent of Pakistan’s adult population is living with diabetes, including those with type 1 diabetes.


To help address the crisis, he said pharmaceutical companies have launched advanced medications at significantly lower prices than imported versions, which were previously sold at what he described as “exorbitant” costs.

GLP-1 medications work by increasing insulin production, slowing digestion, and reducing hunger. Dual GIP/GLP-1 medications further enhance these effects.

Medications such as Ozempic, Zeptide, and Mounjaro are now available in Pakistan in injectable form and are administered once a week under a doctor’s supervision. Tablet forms may be prescribed for daily use.
 
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Russian firm to invest $80 million in Pakistan to produce insulin with local partner

KARACHI: Russian firm Zavod Medsintez LLC and its local importer Genetics Pharmaceuticals Private Limited plan to invest about $80 million in Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector over the next six years to start producing insulin locally, according to a notification the Drug Regulatory Authority of...
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Russian firm to invest 80m$ over the next 6 years
 
The healthcare landscape in Faisalabad just got a major upgrade. Shifa International has officially launched its state-of-the-art, 423-bed hospital, marking a massive milestone for medical services in the region.
Why This Matters:
Enhanced Capacity: With over 400 new beds, the facility significantly increases local access to high-quality care.
Expert Care: Medical professionals emphasize that modern infrastructure like this is the backbone of superior patient outcomes.
Regional Growth: This isn't just a building; it's a hub for medical development and innovation in the heart of the city.
Better facilities mean better lives. This is a huge win for the community!

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Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal confirmed that Pakistan has 84,421 registered HIV cases nationwide as of April 2026. While the government has rejected claims of a sudden new outbreak, officials have highlighted a significant "treatment gap," with approximately 23,000 to 24,000 registered patients currently untraceable or not receiving care.

Key Statistics & Regional Breakdown
The majority of registered cases are concentrated in the country's most populous provinces.
  • Punjab: Leads with approximately 45,000 cases (about 54% of the national total). Hardest-hit cities include Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan.
  • Sindh: Follows with a significant portion of cases, including a rising number of pediatric infections in Karachi.
  • Islamabad: Has 618 registered cases, of which 210 are local and 408 are patients referred from other regions.

Concerns & Response Measures
The Ministry of Health and international agencies have raised several alarms regarding the current situation:
  • Actual vs. Registered Cases: While official records show roughly 84,000 cases, health experts and global agencies like UNAIDS estimate the actual number of people living with HIV in Pakistan could be as high as 350,000 to 369,000.
  • Causes of Transmission: The primary drivers of the epidemic include the reuse of contaminated syringes, unsafe blood transfusions, and unhygienic medical practices.
  • New Policy Action: To combat syringe reuse, the government has announced a nationwide ban on 10cc reusable syringes, shifting strictly to a single-use policy.
  • Treatment Access: There are currently 98 designated treatment centers offering free Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) nationwide. Approximately 61,000 registered patients are currently under treatment.
Would you like more details on the geographic breakdown of these cases or information on how to access free testing and treatment centers?

This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional. AI responses may
 

Pakistan approves policy to pave way for local vaccine production​


  • Pakistan currently imports almost all of its finished vaccines, according to WHO and UNICEF
  • With vaccine production, Islamabad aims to reduce import burden, become regional supplier
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cabinet has approved the country’s first-ever National Vaccine Policy, state-run media reported on Wednesday, saying that the move would help boost local vaccine production and reduce reliance on imports.

Pakistan currently imports almost all of its finished vaccines, according to procurement data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. Public health experts say heavy dependence on imported vaccines leaves Pakistan vulnerable to global supply disruptions and contributes to an annual vaccine import bill exceeding $250 million.

Pakistan, a country of over 240 million people, regularly holds national immunization campaigns against diseases such as polio, measles, rubella and hepatitis.

“Federal Minister for National Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, on Wednesday announced that the federal cabinet has approved Pakistan’s first-ever National Vaccine Policy, paved way for its local production,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said in a report.

“While talking on the occasion, he termed the approval a major milestone in strengthening Pakistan’s health care system.”

The report quoted Kamal as saying that Pakistan had long lacked a comprehensive national vaccine policy, adding that local production was essential for achieving self-reliance in the health sector.

The government says the new vaccine policy aims to build national resilience by expanding biotech and pharmaceutical capabilities, reducing import burden, and improving preparedness for future pandemics.

In February this year, Pakistani health authorities held discussions with a visiting Saudi delegation to explore partnership in the production of vaccines in Pakistan. Kamal had said Islamabad was “very close” to reaching an agreement with Riyadh that would enable it to produce vaccines locally.

Officials say local production of vaccines could enable Pakistan to become a regional supplier once its facilities meet WHO prequalification standards.
 

Pakistan, Chinese firms sign 10 MoUs for pharmaceutical investment, API production​


Agreements cover technology transfer, vaccine collaboration and local manufacturing as government pushes to reduce dependence on imported pharmaceutical raw materials

Pakistani and Chinese companies on Tuesday signed 10 memorandums of understanding covering pharmaceutical investment, active pharmaceutical ingredient production, vaccine collaboration and technology transfer, in a move aimed at strengthening local manufacturing capacity and reducing reliance on imports.


As per reports, the agreements were signed during a ceremony organised in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, One Station China Desk and the office of Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Dr Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti.

Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal said the agreements marked an important step for Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector, particularly in local production of pharmaceutical raw materials.

He said Pakistan currently exports medicines to 51 countries but remains heavily dependent on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and vaccines.

The minister added that the government was working to build domestic manufacturing capacity to improve medicine affordability and supply security.


According to the minister, Pakistan imports poultry vaccines worth around $4.5 million annually, while the country would need approximately $1.2 billion each year after 2030 to independently procure vaccines currently supported through global immunisation arrangements.

He said the government was therefore focusing on developing local vaccine manufacturing capabilities before 2030.

Kamal also said Pakistan had developed and secured federal cabinet approval for a National Vaccine Policy, while efforts were underway to activate the National Institute of Health for vaccine-related manufacturing and development support.

The minister said Pakistan was also seeking to achieve WHO Level 3 certification in the coming months, which could expand pharmaceutical export access from 51 countries to more than 150 international markets.

Among the major agreements signed during the ceremony, Unichem Pharmaceuticals Pakistan and China’s Xinxu Group entered into an investment partnership valued at around ₨10 billion.


The agreement includes technology transfer for local production of pharmaceutical raw materials, including Omeprazole API, around 95% of which has historically been imported into Pakistan.

Another agreement was signed between Lucky Core Group and Chinese pharmaceutical partners to expand industrial cooperation between the two countries.

Dr Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti said the agreements reflected the government’s policy of encouraging industrial growth through international investment and strategic partnerships.

He said reliance on imported pharmaceutical raw materials had placed pressure on Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and import bill, adding that the objective was to encourage local manufacturing and technology transfer.

Officials and industry representatives attending the event said the agreements would support Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign direct investment, strengthen healthcare preparedness and expand local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity.
 
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