Meningitis vaccine shortage bedevils healthcare
Ever since local vaccine production halted in Pakistan, the country has relied heavily on imports to reach its disease prevention targets. However, every now and then, procurement issues instigate a shortage of vaccines in the local market, paving the way for profiteers to loot both travelers and patients. A similar quandary befell locals in Karachi, who recently faced a shortage of the meningitis vaccine.
Arsalan, a 19-year-old receiving treatment for meningitis at a hospital in North Nazimabad, had been suffering from a fever for several days. After a check-up at a local clinic, the doctor referred him to a hospital for further evaluation, where tests confirmed that he was suffering from meningitis. The doctors recommended a meningitis vaccine, which was unavailable at regular medical stores. After many unsuccessful attempts to find the vaccine, the family eventually located it at a wholesale market for Rs10,000. "Being financially constrained, we had to take out a loan to purchase the vaccine. The government must make the vaccine available in public hospitals," urged his family.
Apart from patients, the shortage also impacted pilgrims planning to go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. A month ago, the Saudi government made the meningitis vaccine mandatory for Umrah pilgrims and Hajj attendees. This year, 179,210 pilgrims are expected to go for Hajj under an agreement between the Pakistani and Saudi governments, with hundreds of thousands more visiting Saudi Arabia for Umrah during the months of Shaban and Ramazan. However, if the Saudi authorities had not revoked the requirement for the meningitis vaccine, the 54,000 doses imported by the Pakistani government would have been insufficient for the large number of pilgrims.
"Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord and can be caused by viruses and different types of bacteria. The disease is mostly viral, but it can also be caused by the tuberculosis (TB) germ. Symptoms of the disease include high fever, loss of balance, stiff neck, severe headache, and vomiting," explained Dr Akram Sultan, Former Director of Health Karachi.
Dr Sultan confirmed that the Saudi government's decision to mandate the meningitis vaccine for Umrah pilgrims and Hajj attendees led to an unexpected surge in its demand, causing a shortage of the vaccine in Pakistan.
"Pakistan does not manufacture any vaccines locally and relies entirely on imports. A few months ago, the meningitis vaccine was available for Rs4,000, but the government recently imported it through two multinational companies, setting the retail price at Rs6,000. However, it is being sold in the black market at prices between Rs8,000 and Rs12,000," revealed Dr Sultan.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Asim Rauf, told the Express Tribune that the Saudi authorities have now revoked the vaccination requirement and issued a notification accordingly.
"The Saudi government has retracted its requirement for the meningitis vaccination for Umrah and Hajj pilgrims from Pakistan. The order, initially issued on January 7, required airlines operating at all Saudi airports to enforce this rule, which has now been suspended. However, the General Authority of Civil Aviation released a circular on February 6, 2025, confirming that the requirement for a polio vaccine for Umrah pilgrims and Hajj attendees was still in effect," said Rauf.
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