Adult Vaccines in Pakistan: Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Tetanus and Flu, and Where to Get Them
Which adult vaccines to consider in Pakistan: typhoid conjugate, hepatitis B, tetanus and flu, who needs each, what is free, and what to check before you pay.
Most adults in Pakistan pay for four vaccines at a private clinic: typhoid conjugate (one dose), hepatitis B (two or three doses), a tetanus booster and the yearly flu shot. The free government programme is built for babies, children and pregnant women, not for adults. We read the World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheets and the Sindh Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) disease pages on 7 October 2026.
A fever that lasts two weeks in a house with a shared water tank is how most people meet typhoid. Tetanus arrives with a rusty nail. Both can be prevented, so the useful question is which vaccines an adult needs, and who pays.
Adults need typhoid, hepatitis B, tetanus and flu protection
Four vaccines matter most for healthy adults in Pakistan: typhoid conjugate, hepatitis B, tetanus and diphtheria (Td), and influenza. Which ones you need depends on your age, job, pregnancy and past doses. Ask your doctor to check your record first.
Typhoid is the first to think about. WHO estimates 9 million typhoid cases and about 110,000 deaths a year worldwide, on 2019 figures. The EPI Sindh page says typhoid is endemic in Pakistan and that outbreaks of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid have made treatment harder. XDR means the germ resists most common antibiotics.
| Vaccine | Doses for an adult | Who should think about it first |
|---|---|---|
| Typhoid conjugate | One injection | Anyone living with unsafe water, food handlers, travellers to high-risk areas |
| Hepatitis B | Two or three doses, at least four weeks apart | Health workers, anyone unvaccinated as a child, family of a carrier |
| Tetanus and diphtheria (Td) | A booster if your doses are incomplete or unknown | Farm and construction workers, anyone with a deep wound, pregnant women |
| Flu | One dose each season | Pregnant women, people over 65, people with diabetes, heart or lung disease |
The typhoid conjugate vaccine is a single dose for adults
The typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) is one injection. WHO says it can be given to adults up to 45 or 65 years of age, depending on the brand. Ask the clinic which brand it holds and check the age limit on the box.
TCV is newer and lasts longer than the older typhoid shots. WHO says the older ones need repeat doses because their protection fades. Pakistan has put TCV into its routine children's schedule, and the EPI Sindh page says it is free for children. We found no page offering it free to adults.
The vaccine does not replace clean water. WHO lists safe water, sanitation and hygiene among food handlers next to vaccination as the ways to prevent typhoid. Boil or filter drinking water in the monsoon months and wash hands before cooking.
Hepatitis B is a short course that protects for years
Adults who missed hepatitis B vaccination in childhood can start the course at any time. WHO says the vaccine is given in two or three doses at least four weeks apart. After three doses, boosters are not usually needed, and protection lasts at least 20 years and probably for life.
EPI Sindh says infants get three free doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, and that a missed dose can be given later. The vaccine joined the programme in 2009, so an adult born before then may have had none. Do not guess from memory. Ask a doctor whether a blood test comes first.
WHO also says health workers should get the vaccine. If you work in a hospital or lab, ask your employer first. For testing and treatment, we have already listed the government counters for free hepatitis B and C tests by province.
Tetanus boosters matter after a deep wound or in pregnancy
WHO recommends six tetanus doses in a lifetime, three in infancy and three boosters between early childhood and age 15. Adults who cannot show those doses should ask a doctor about a Td booster, especially after a deep or dirty wound.
Tetanus comes from spores in soil and manure that enter a wound. The EPI Sindh page says symptoms start 4 to 21 days later, usually around day ten. They include jaw spasms and painful muscle stiffness. Do not wait for symptoms. Wash the wound and ask a doctor the same day if you do not know your last dose.
Pregnant women have their own rule. EPI Sindh says tetanus toxoid should be given between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. It protects the mother and the newborn.
Flu shots are yearly and mostly sold privately
The flu vaccine is needed every season, because the viruses change. Pakistan's flu season runs from about November to April, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Islamabad. Get it before the winter peak.
We have already covered who should get it, where it is sold and what to check on the box in the flu vaccine advice for this season. In short, pregnant women come first, then children, older people, people with long-term illness and health workers. The flu shot is not part of the routine EPI programme.
Girls aged 9 to 14 have a separate free HPV vaccine.
Where to get each vaccine and what it costs
For adults, the usual route is a private hospital, clinic or pharmacy with a fridge. We found no official national price for adult typhoid or hepatitis B vaccines, so we state none. Prices vary by brand and city. Ask for the brand and the full charge before you agree.
| Vaccine | Free in the government programme | For adults |
|---|---|---|
| Typhoid conjugate | Yes, for children, per EPI Sindh | Paid, private clinic |
| Hepatitis B | Yes, for infants, three doses | Paid, unless your employer covers it |
| Tetanus toxoid | Yes, for pregnant women, per EPI Sindh | Td booster: ask at a government hospital |
| Flu | Not listed in routine EPI | Paid, private clinic or pharmacy |
We checked the Sindh programme. The federal and other provincial EPI pages did not load for us, so a province may run a different adult camp. Call 1166, the federal health helpline, or ask the medical superintendent of your district hospital.
Five steps before you pay
- Write down which vaccines you have had, with dates, and bring any card.
- Ask the doctor which of the four you need for your age, job and health.
- Ask the brand name, the price in rupees and whether the vial is opened in front of you.
- Check the expiry date and ask how the vaccine was stored. It must be kept cold.
- Keep the card or receipt. You will need the date for the next dose.
Common questions
Is the typhoid vaccine free for adults in Pakistan?
No free adult programme was found. EPI Sindh says the typhoid conjugate vaccine is free for children. Adults usually pay at a private clinic or hospital.
How many hepatitis B doses does an adult need?
WHO says two or three doses at least four weeks apart. After a full course, boosters are not usually required.
Does one typhoid vaccine dose protect for life?
WHO says the conjugate vaccine gives longer protection than the older vaccines. It does not say lifelong. Ask your doctor if a repeat dose is advised for you.
Can I take the typhoid and hepatitis B vaccines on the same day?
Ask your doctor. We did not find an official Pakistani page that answers this, so we give no rule.
Which vaccine should a pregnant woman get?
Tetanus toxoid between weeks 27 and 36, according to EPI Sindh. Flu vaccine is also a priority for pregnant women, in the WHO list that NIH quotes.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 7 October 2026. We read the WHO fact sheets on typhoid, hepatitis B and tetanus, and the EPI Sindh pages on typhoid, tetanus and hepatitis B at epi.gos.pk. The federal EPI site did not load for us, so the free-programme details here are for Sindh, and the flu points come from NIH as quoted in our flu page. We found no published official price for adult typhoid, hepatitis B or tetanus vaccines. The one hospital price list we found was dated 2020 and would not open, so no price is given. This page is general information and not medical advice. Ask a doctor which vaccines suit you.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
