Kenya Told to Produce Its Own Vaccines as Health Experts Warn Import Dependence Is a National Risk
Kenya Urged to Build Vaccine Capacity By Bruno Aero Family Media Science Writer Nairobi — Kenya has been urged to urgently establish a strong local vaccine manufacturing industry, with health sector leaders warning that the country’s heavy dependence on imported vaccines leaves it dangerously exposed to future disease outbreaks. Speaking at the 16th Kenya Association of Scientists in Health (KASH) Conference in Nairobi, Kenya BioVax Institute Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wesley Rono said the country can no longer rely on foreign supplies for life-saving vaccines, especially after lessons learned during recent global health emergencies. “It is time we start producing our own vaccines to avoid future outbreaks,” Dr. Rono said, noting that nearly 99 per cent of vaccines used in Kenya are imported a situation he described as both unsustainable and a threat to national health security. Dr. Rono explained that Kenya should not aim to jump immedia...
