Kenya Pushes for Strengthened Local Manufacturing at AU Health Forum
Egypt, Cairo - 5 February 2025
Kenya has reiterated its commitment to advancing local manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics, and other health products as part of the continent’s push for self-reliance in healthcare. Speaking at the 2nd Vaccine and Other Health Products Manufacturing Forum in Cairo, Egypt, Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Mr. Harry Kimtai, CBS, emphasized the need for African countries to align policies and investments to support the pharmaceutical and biomanufacturing sectors.
Mr. Kimtai highlighted the progress made since the inaugural forum in Marrakech in 2023, including efforts to expand vaccine manufacturing, adopt Africa-specific financing models, and strengthen regulatory frameworks.
He acknowledged the signing of key MoUs between regulatory bodies, manufacturers, and training consortia, calling it a critical step toward ensuring the sustainability of Africa’s health products industry. Kenya has emerged as a key player in this space, with over 35 active manufacturing sites catering to national, continental, and global markets.
The government has also established the Kenya BioVax Institute to enhance vaccine and biologics production. However, Mr. Kimtai noted a paradox—while local manufacturers report underutilized production capacity, Africa remains heavily reliant on imported health products. He emphasized the importance of policy alignment across health, trade, and industrialization to address this gap.
The PS reaffirmed Kenya’s readiness to contribute to Africa’s health security agenda, with President William Ruto championing local manufacturing at the African Union level. He urged governments, private sector players, and development partners to accelerate regulatory harmonization, improve trade facilitation, and commit to preferential procurement of locally manufactured health products.
As Africa prepares for the upcoming AU Summit, Mr. Kimtai called on Member States to escalate these discussions at the highest levels, ensuring that local manufacturing remains a strategic priority for the continent’s health and economic future.