What vaccines do I need for Pakistan?

Required: Polio (OPV or IPV booster required for travelers staying over 4 weeks; exit certificate may be required). Recommended by the CDC: Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Meningococcal, Malaria prophylaxis.

Is tap water safe to drink in Pakistan?

Tap water is not safe to drink in Pakistan. Drink bottled or treated water throughout your trip, including in resort areas.

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South Asia

Pakistan Travel Health

Reviewed by Alexander Webber, Chief Epidemiologist · Updated 2026-08

Pakistan carries significant travel health risks, including endemic polio, malaria in most of the country, typhoid, and recurrent dengue outbreaks particularly in Punjab and Sindh. Cholera has been reported following flooding events, which have increased in frequency. Healthcare capacity varies widely, with reasonable facilities available in major cities but very limited resources in rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and flood-affected regions.

Food Safety: High Risk Tap Water: Unsafe Malaria Risk Present

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Vaccines for Pakistan

Required for Entry

Polio (OPV or IPV booster required for travelers staying over 4 weeks; exit certificate may be required)

CDC Recommended

Hepatitis A
Typhoid
Hepatitis B
Rabies
Meningococcal
Malaria prophylaxis

Source: CDC Travelers' Health — Pakistan

Malaria Risk

Malaria risk is present throughout most of Pakistan below 2,500 meters elevation, including in all four provinces. P. vivax predominates but P. falciparum co-circulates. Risk is highest during and after monsoon season (July through November). Major cities including Karachi and Lahore carry risk at lower levels than rural areas.

Food and Water Safety

High Risk Tap water: not safe to drink

Drink only commercially bottled or boiled water; avoid ice in beverages from informal sources. Street food carries significant risk of typhoid, hepatitis A, and hepatitis E. Choose restaurants with visible hygiene standards and avoid raw salads, uncooked chutneys, and fresh juices from street vendors.

Key Health Tips for Pakistan

Ensure your polio vaccination is current; Pakistan is one of the few countries where wild poliovirus transmission remains endemic.
Take antimalarial prophylaxis prescribed by a travel medicine provider and use DEET repellent and bed nets, particularly in rural Sindh, Punjab, and KPK.
Avoid contact with dogs, donkeys, and livestock due to high rabies burden in domestic and stray animal populations; seek post-exposure care immediately if bitten.
Carry oral rehydration salts and have a plan for medical evacuation to Dubai or Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi if serious illness occurs outside major cities.

Disease Risks in Pakistan

Official Resources

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