Kenya targets to produce 6 million pneumonia vaccines every month

The country is targeting to produce 6 million pneumonia vaccines every month in the next two years, with newborns being the main beneficiaries.

Kenya BioVax Institute said the locally produced pneumonia vaccines would be ready by mid-2027 as the country shifts from importation.

This came as the State agency exuded confidence in meeting the set targets under the multi-billion project funded by the World Bank (WB).

Kenya BioVax Institute Chairman Charles Githinji, said the first phase of construction of the vaccine manufacturing plant was complete.

Speaking after a consultative meeting with World Bank officials, Dr Githinji said that they were keen to make sure that the donor-funded project was completed in time.

“The country will have the first batch of locally manufactured immunisation vaccines on trial by mid-2027, and the production plant is underway,” he said.

Githinji said the institute was born out of challenges in accessing vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic, and exuded confidence that the country would deliver its first locally manufactured trial batch by 2027.

“The first beneficiaries will be newborn babies who will benefit from pneumonia vaccines once production kicks off,” he said.

Kenya BioVax Institute CEO Wesley Rono, noted that the manufacturing plant was estimated to produce about 6 million immunisation vaccines monthly, in line with the global practices, and 72 million vaccines annually.

Dr Rono said they were engaging potential partners to assist in fast-tracking the project, which would be a game-changer in the health sector.

He announced that the initial phase of the enabling works was complete, and that once the installation of manufacturing equipment was complete, the manufacturing would kick off.

Dr Rono said that the main focus was timely vaccination for the children following the availability of the vaccines.

Ramesh Govindaraj, the lead specialist in the health, nutrition, and population global practice at the World Bank, noted that the move was in line with African Union Agenda 2063, where by 2040 Africa will produce 60 per cent of all its pharmaceutical needs. 

Govindaraj said Ethiopia and Kenya were the first in the continent to join the programme that will see 12 countries benefit from 1.5 billion USD towards constructing manufacturing plants.

According to Dr.Benard Olayo, Senior Health Specialist with the World Bank, Kenya would benefit from USD120 million out of the USD1.5 billion.

He termed the amount as quite significant towards achieving the manufacturing goal.