Pakistan faces a Diabetes explosion while local Pharma Companies race to produce affordable Ozempic and Mounjaro alternatives

Pakistan tops global diabetes prevalence at 30.8% with 36 million patients, yet revolutionary GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro remain accessible only to upper-income urban patients while affordable diabetes medicines serve the majority.

By Imran Malik | Health & Pharma Desk | MediaBites.com.pk

Pakistan has quietly earned a title nobody wanted. According to the International Diabetes Federation’s most recent data, Pakistan now holds the world’s highest diabetes prevalence rate. The good news is that treatment options for diabetes exist at almost every price point in Pakistan. The challenging reality is that the newest and most revolutionary class of drugs is currently within reach of only a selective circle of patients.

The Numbers That Should Alarm Every Pakistani

Over 36 million Pakistanis are currently living with diabetes, and this number may rise to 70.2 million by 2050. Around 230,000 Pakistanis die annually from diabetes-related complications, while millions remain undiagnosed. Pakistan’s diabetes prevalence rate of 30.8% is nearly three times higher than the global average.

An additional 11 million adults in Pakistan have impaired glucose tolerance, while approximately 8.9 million people with diabetes remain entirely undiagnosed.

One in three Pakistani adults has diabetes. One in three.

Pakistan’s Obesity Crisis — The Twin Emergency

Calculated according to WHO Asia-Pacific parameters, the overall weighted prevalence of generalised obesity in Pakistan is 57.9%, with 42% in males and 58% in females. Central obesity prevalence stands at 73.1%, with 37.3% in males and 62.7% in females.

Obesity and diabetes are deeply interlinked in Pakistan’s public health challenge. Both conditions are primary targets of the new generation of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs — medications that have transformed treatment outcomes globally for patients who can access and afford them.

Existing Diabetes Medicines — Accessible to Most Pakistanis

Before discussing GLP-1 drugs, it is important to acknowledge what Pakistan’s diabetes patients do have access to. Standard diabetes medications including Metformin, Glibenclamide, Glimepiride, Sitagliptin, and Insulin are widely available across Pakistan at highly affordable prices, from major cities to small towns and district pharmacies. These medications are prescribed daily by thousands of doctors and are accessible to patients across almost all income levels.

Pakistani companies including CCL Pharmaceuticals (Sitamet), Getz Pharma, Ferozsons, Highnoon, and Searle have made essential diabetes medicines widely available and competitively priced. This is a genuine and important achievement for Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry.

The conversation around GLP-1 drugs is therefore not about a total absence of treatment. It is about whether Pakistan’s most vulnerable diabetic and obese patients can access the newest, most effective generation of treatment.

GLP-1 Drugs — Available but Selective in Reach

Ozempic is available in Pakistan as a prescription-only medicine manufactured by Novo Nordisk. The price ranges from PKR 22,700 to PKR 27,750 per pen depending on dose strength, while the monthly treatment cost ranges from PKR 60,000 to PKR 110,000 depending on dose and frequency.

For Pakistan’s upper-middle and upper-income urban patients in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, Ozempic is accessible through private clinics and online pharmacies. It is being used and is showing strong results in Pakistan’s selective circles of patients who can afford it.

Mounjaro, containing tirzepatide, is available in Pakistan with a price of PKR 195,000 as of January 2026. It can be purchased online and is gaining popularity due to its dual-action mechanism and effective results in metabolic health.

Mounjaro sits firmly in the premium segment, accessible to Pakistan’s highest-income patients through specialist clinics.

Local Pakistani Pharma Enters the Race

Here is the most encouraging development in this story. Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry has recognised the gap and is actively responding.

Several Pakistani pharmaceutical companies have started domestic production of generic versions of GLP-1 drugs including semaglutide and tirzepatide, priced significantly lower than branded imports. BF Biosciences, Ferozsons, Getz Pharma, and GD Searle are among the leading Pakistani pharma producers of both injectable and pill versions of GLP-1 and GIP drugs in Pakistan.

READ MORE: Pakistan’s Multivitamin market is booming — so why are the Big Pharma giants missing in action?

Complete GLP-1 Brand Picture in Pakistan

International Brands:

Local Generic Brands:

Other GLP-1 options: Liraglutide has been available since 2016 and Dulaglutide since 2018 — both significantly more affordable than semaglutide-based products and widely prescribed by Pakistani endocrinologists.

Who Is Currently Using GLP-1 Drugs in Pakistan?

Estimated current GLP-1 users in Pakistan number between 50,000 and 100,000 patients — a selective but growing circle concentrated among upper-income urban patients accessing drugs through private clinics and online pharmacies. As local generic production scales up and prices fall, this number is expected to grow significantly over the next two to three years.

DRAP Warning — Verify Before You Buy

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has issued official warnings about counterfeit versions of GLP-1 drugs circulating through unverified online channels. Patients are strongly advised to obtain these medications only through registered pharmacies and qualified medical practitioners.

The Path Forward — From Selective to Mainstream

Pakistan’s GLP-1 story is not one of impossibility. It is one of expanding access. Affordable standard diabetes medicines already reach most Pakistanis. Generic GLP-1 manufacturing is now underway domestically. Prices are expected to fall as local production scales.

The challenge for Pakistan’s policymakers, pharma companies, and healthcare system is to ensure that as this new generation of treatment matures, it moves from being a privilege of selective income circles to a genuine option for every Pakistani patient who needs it.

The manufacturing capacity is being built. The clinical evidence is undeniable. The next step is making it truly accessible.

Note: All pricing figures are based on publicly available market data as of mid-2026 and are subject to change. Patients should consult a qualified physician before starting any GLP-1 medication. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.