Players in the vaccine manufacturing sector across Kenya and Africa are accelerating efforts to bridge financing, skills and regulatory gaps in a bid to boost local vaccine production following a sharp decline in donor funding.
With Africa currently importing more than 99 percent of its vaccines and the bulk of its essential medicines, experts warn that the continent remains highly vulnerable to global supply disruptions, price volatility and geopolitical pressures.
BioVax Kenya Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wesley Rono said the company is working towards producing Kenya’s first locally manufactured vaccine antigen by 2027, with newborns expected to be the first beneficiaries through pneumonia vaccines.
