By Samwel Doe Ouma
The Kenya Institute of Primate Research (KIPRE) and the Kenya Biovax Institute has announced a significant milestone in their joint efforts to enhance vaccine production and promote self-sufficiency in Kenya’s healthcare sector.
Dr. Peter G. Mwethera, the Acting Director General of KIPRE, and Dr. Michael Lusiola, CEO of Kenya Biovax Institute, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) cementing this strategic collaboration. The MoU signing ceremony will take place at the Kenya Institute of Primate Research (Karen), on Thursday 5th October 2023.
KIPRE, formerly known as the Institute of Primate Research (IPR), has been a pioneering institution in biomedical research since its establishment in 1958. It operates under the Ministry of Health’s State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards. The institution has a long history of conducting vital research to develop drugs and vaccines for the benefit of the Kenyan population.
The transition from IPR to KIPRe was initiated through legal notice Number 273 of 2017, and the subsequent executive order number 1 of 2023 placed KIPRe under the Ministry of Health. This move underscores the government’s commitment to building domestic capacity critical step in ensuring Kenya’s healthcare security.
In response to the urgent need for vaccine production, catalysed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Kenya established the Kenya Biovax Institute under the Ministry of Health’s State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards.
Kenya Biovax Institute’s primary mandate is to manufacture, package, and commercialize specialized health products and technologies, including vaccines, therapeutics, and other biomedical products.
Both institutions have engaged in a series of constructive discussions and negotiations, with the shared goal of working together to advance the production and commercialization of essential healthcare products and services.
These collaborative efforts have now culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between KIPRe and Kenya Biovax Institute.
This union between two strategic institutions marks a significant step towards Kenya’s healthcare self-sufficiency and the security of its vaccine supply. The signing of this MoU is a testament to the commitment of both organizations in addressing the healthcare needs of the Kenyan people.
Researchers in wide breath of different sectors cannot commercialize their research ideas into products and services without a commercial entity.
