PS Oluga leads BioVax tour with French delegation as Kenya seeks to cut reliance on imported vaccines

The Ministry of Health said the initiative aims to reduce reliance on imports and improve access to essential health products in Kenya and the wider region.

Speaking during the visit, Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga said the government is investing in primary healthcare, digital health systems, health products and local manufacturing capacity to improve service delivery.

Oluga said lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic showed the need to build local vaccine manufacturing capacity to boost preparedness and reduce dependence on external supply chains during health emergencies.

He also cited progress at the Kenya BioVax Institute, including infrastructure development, systems establishment and technical preparations for safe and quality-assured vaccine production.

The PS called for stronger collaboration with development partners to accelerate Kenya’s ambition of becoming a regional hub for vaccine and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Those who attended the tour included World Bank Vice President for Development Finance Akihiko Nishio, French Ambassador for Global Health Anne-Claire Amprou, Kenya BioVax Board chair Dr Charles Githua Githinji and Kenya BioVax Institute CEO Dr Wesley Ronoh, alongside development partners and senior ministry officials.