Kenya will bank on medical research as a catalyst for production and innovations that will propel the country achieve its target to locally manufacture 50 percent of health products and technologies by 2025, the CS said.
Speaking during the official opening of the 14th Kenya Medical research Institute’s Scientific (KASH) Conference themed ‘Market Shaping for local manufacturing of Health products and technologies towards achievement of universal health coverage (UHC) in Kenya Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan W. Nakhumicha said that that the government is banking on country medical research gains as a catalyst for enhancing local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.
“The country has capacity to manufacture its own products, and we have seen it with the research outcomes at KEMRI. I have instructed the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority – KEMSA – to buy locally manufactured health products, and this will go a long way in saving the country billions of shillings that drain into imports of healthcare products every year,” the CS told journalists at the 14th KASH conference.
The CS said that KEMRI had been recently commended by the world Health Organization (WHO) for the use of the RTS, S/AS01 (RTS, S) malaria vaccine.
This groundbreaking recommendation, extended to children in Cameroon and nine other African countries, is a testament to the impactful contributions of our proficient KEMRI research scientists.
The CS added that KEMRI has recently achieved the prestigious status of being the leading health research institution in Kenya, surpassing other renowned institutions in the 2023 rankings by Scimago Lab.
“This global recognition extends to the African continent, where KEMRI is positioned as the 3rd-ranked institution out of 352,” the CS said, noting that the institution’s outstanding performance underscores its dedication to excellence and its significant contribution to health research at both national and continental levels.
KEMRI Acting Director General, Prof. Elijah Songok said the institution’s unwavering commitment to product development, innovative technologies, rigorous clinical trials, and service provision, has made a substantial impact on enhancing healthcare outcomes.
“Our partnership with the ministry, local manufacturers, diverse health research institutions and the private sector aims to establish an ecosystem that fosters scientific and economic growth in Health Products and Technologies (HPT),” Songok said.
He added that the country can leverage on Kemri’s expertise, to research on locally clinically tested health products that will further instil confidence in locally manufactured HPT and generate solutions that revamp the local manufacturing landscape.
“Our partnership with the Ministry of Health, local manufacturers, diverse health research institutions, and the private sector aims to establish an ecosystem that fosters scientific and economic growth in Health Products and Technologies (HPT),” he said, and noted that the initiative, which leverages KEMRI’s expertise, aims to instill confidence in locally manufactured HPT and generate solutions that revamp the local manufacturing landscape.”
The Cs said that in order to create market for locally manufactured products, Kenya will only buy health products that it doesn’t manufacture, noting the framework to achieve 50 percent of locally produced pharmaceutical commodities by 2025, is ready.
“As a country we import more than 90 per cent of the health products that are used in this country yet on the other hand we can have the products manufactured here, “the CS she said.
Nakhumicha noted that the amount of money that goes out of the country for procurement of Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) is enormous, and robs Kenya millions of direct and indirect jobs.
The CS expressed concern that the country still procures simple products such as paracetamol tablets from foreign manufacturers yet they can be produced locally.
Nakhumicha said importation of healthcare products has exposed the country to losses that could be avoided, such as costs and the turn-around time in shipping processes.
For instance, she noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the country faced a lot of challenges accessing essential medical supplies especially vaccines since Kenya – just like other African country – was in the list of the last beneficiaries in the delivery timetables, as the developed nations preferred sharing among themselves first.
“The delay in receiving the vaccines led to uncertainty; more infections and deaths during the peak of the pandemic since the countries that had the vaccines gave priority to their citizens,” she noted, even raising concern that countries such as Kenya are not aware when the next pandemic will strike.
According to 14th KASH conference Chair, Dr Cecilia Mbae, the conference brings together researchers, collaborators both local and international, various stakeholders, partners and policy makers to share information.
“We are looking forward to a very busy conference and we are very happy to report that this year we received a total of 364 abstracts and this is an exponential growth from last year where we received 253 abstracts,” Dr Cecilia Mbae said.
Dr Mbae, said that the conference abstracts which are 287 oral presentations and 77 poster presentations have been received from various countries outside Kenya including Uganda, Tanzania, the US, Netherlands, Germany and Ghana which will be presented during the conference.
