Advantages for Kenya and selected African countries in setting up vaccine factories with WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) in partnerships with the Africa Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) has mapped out six countries in Africa for setting up vaccine manufacturing factories and Kenya alongside Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa. This is advantageous for four reasons. First, going forward, global development order will be shaped by more partnerships and collaborations. The need for partnerships and collaborations is buttressed by the fact that goal 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deals with the need for global partnerships for the achievement of the other goals; while the eighth goal of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that preceded the SDGs was on developing a global partnership for development. The national and county governments must seek more and many partnerships with the public and private entities to address the many development needs and demands now and in the future if they are to succeed to accelerate our development. Local problems are becoming global issues and hence the need for such partnerships. Secondly, the establishment of such vaccine manufacturing factories is important in helping African countries and Kenya included to have inbuilt mechanisms and guarantees to strongly fight future pandemics that are bound to keep breaking out because of the increasing climate change and global warming.

Thirdly, these efforts will lend a hand in the increasing focus by the WHO to increase and harmonize the regulatory capacities of medical products and services in Africa through the Africa Medicines Agency established in 2022. It will lead to smooth approvals, development of the medical products in Africa and improved pharmaceutical production in the continent. Thirdly, the venture will be a shot in the arm in the drive for enhanced manufacturing in Africa that is a prerequisite for industrialization and development. African contribution to global manufacturing stands at 1.9 percent. The Kenyan manufacturing contribution to GDP in 1960 was 8.21 percent and in 2020, it was 7.24 percent implying decline from the pre-independence era. There is need to have specific medicine and medical products geared and made specifically for Africa through enhanced laboratory and diagnostics in Africa.  It is important to base the medical products from the African genomic data as opposed to the current practice where genome from African countries only constitutes negligible proportions. Fourthly, investments in health is an enabler for strong socio-economic development for Kenya and other countries Dr. Mutegi Giti, Urban management, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) & Environment Specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com, @danielgiti.