Kenya has been selected to join an ambitious World Health Organization (WHO) and Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) initiative aimed at boosting vaccine production in Africa.
The programme seeks to shift vaccine manufacturing from wealthy nations to countries that need them most, providing hands-on training and technical support to local institutions.
Through the programme, the Kenya BioVax Institute will receive complete training in the entire vaccine production process, from research and development to large-scale manufacturing.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute will act as a central research partner, ensuring local expertise is strengthened and applied.
“When a country can produce its own vaccines, it can protect its own people without depending on external supply chains that may not always be reliable or accessible. Kenya’s entry into this programme is an important step toward building that capacity, and toward ensuring that life-saving health products reach the people who need them, when they need them,” said Edwin Kojo Ogara, WHO Kenya technical lead for essential drugs and medicines.
The programme was created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which exposed the vulnerability of lower-income countries in accessing vaccines. While wealthy nations secured multiple doses, many poorer countries waited months or even years for supplies.
“The Covid-19 pandemic exposed our vulnerabilities, highlighting the necessity for Africa to develop its own manufacturing. Investing in local manufacturing not only strengthens our health systems but also creates jobs and stimulates economic growth,” said Ouma Oluga, Principal Secretary for Medical Services.
Kenya joins Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia in the initiative. Currently, Africa imports 99 percent of the vaccines it uses, a dependency that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention aims to eliminate by 2040.
The programme promises to equip participating countries with the knowledge and infrastructure to manufacture vaccines locally, improving access to life-saving medicines and boosting regional health security.
