At the Global Health Exhibition 2025 in Riyadh, Dr. Obaidullah, CEO of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), led the Pakistani delegation and held high-level discussions with international health leaders to advance regulatory and public health priorities.
During the event Dr. Obaidullah met with Dr. Christopher Elias, President of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Hanan Balkhy, Regional Director for WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Prof. Hisham Aljadhey, President of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, to explore concrete avenues for cooperation.
The talks focused on strengthening regulatory collaboration and convergence across the region, advancing health security and joint preparedness for public health emergencies, and improving access to safe, quality and affordable medicines and vaccines. Participants also discussed promoting indigenous vaccine manufacturing to build regional self-sufficiency and resilience, and explored future partnerships in regulatory science, capacity building and digital transformation to modernize oversight systems.
For Pakistan the discussions at the Global Health Exhibition reinforce a commitment to evidence-based, transparent and globally harmonized regulatory systems. DRAP emphasised its intent to work closely with WHO, the SFDA and the Gates Foundation to drive innovation, ensure equitable access to essential therapies and strengthen health systems that protect Pakistani patients.
Strengthening these regional partnerships and pursuing local manufacturing capacity are seen as key steps to bolster Pakistan’s health security and improve long-term access to vaccines and medicines for the population.
