Kenya is set to roll out trials for its first locally manufactured vaccines within the next two years, a milestone aimed at ensuring over three million children have access to affordable and life-saving immunisation.
Backed by Ksh. 8 billion in World Bank funding, the State-owned Kenya BioVax Institute announced that by 2027, three vaccines, targeting pneumonia and typhoid, will be ready for trials.
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting in Naivasha, BioVax CEO Dr. Charles Githinji said the move will boost Kenya’s self-reliance in vaccine access and protect the country from global procurement disruptions.
“Vaccine manufacturing is not like any other form of manufacturing, serious planning, technology, and transfers are required,” Dr. Githinji noted. “We are now at a critical stage, and with certainty, in the next 24 months, we will roll out our first BioVax vaccine.”
Currently, over 80 per cent of the Ksh. 15 billion spent annually on vaccines in Kenya is donor-funded. However, as Kenya transitions to middle-income status, donor support from organisations such as GAVI is expected to reduce, making local production crucial.
The Embakasi-based manufacturing facility is being equipped in line with global best practices, with the long-term plan to list the institute on the Nairobi Securities Exchange to strengthen financing and tap into the African vaccines market, projected by the Africa CDC to reach up to USD 5.6 billion by 2030.
Dr. Githinji said the institute was established in response to vaccine access challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that future operations will prioritise health security and vaccine efficacy.
Vision 2030 Board Chair Emmanuel Nzai hailed the initiative as a major step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and lowering vaccine costs for vulnerable populations. He emphasised that local production will position Kenya as a regional hub for vaccine manufacturing while improving the continent’s health security.
According to the BioVax 2023–2027 strategic plan, the institute will produce and commercialise vaccines for outbreaks, children’s immunisation, and therapeutics, helping reverse the heavy reliance on imported vaccines, currently at 98 per cent across Africa.
Written By Rodney Mbua
