Kenya Must Produce Its Own Vaccines to Prevent Future Outbreaks, Says KEMRI Director General Prof. Elijah Songok

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By Irene Mwende 



Kenya must urgently invest in local vaccine manufacturing to safeguard itself against future disease outbreaks, health sector leaders have warned, noting that continued overreliance on imported vaccines poses a serious risk to national health security.

Speaking during the 16th Kenya Association of Scientists and Health Professionals (KASH) Conference held in Nairobi,  Director General   KEMRI Prof. Elijah Songok said the country must begin producing its own vaccines to guarantee long-term preparedness and resilience against emerging health threats.

“It is time we start producing our own vaccines to avoid future outbreaks,” he  said, revealing that Kenya currently imports about 99 per cent of the vaccines used locally. He described the situation as both unsustainable and risky, particularly during global health crises when international supply chains are often disrupted.


Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Director General Prof. Elijah Songok said the country already has the scientific and technical capacity needed to support vaccine manufacturing. He noted that KEMRI possesses strong local expertise and also benefits from access to global knowledge networks that can help strengthen skills in critical areas.

As KEMRI, we have capacity locally, and we also have access to global expertise that can help strengthen skills in key areas,” Prof. Songok said. He added that starting with basic vaccine manufacturing processes would not only strengthen Kenya’s health systems but also unlock new opportunities for research, innovation, and job creation.

The  DG emphasized the need for Kenya to develop manufacturing capacity across the entire vaccine value chain, starting with basic production processes and gradually scaling up to more advanced systems. He added that financial sector reforms and increased investment—both public and private—would be essential to support the shift toward local vaccine production.

According toDr. Rono  Wesley Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya BioVax Institute,  said    establishing a robust local vaccine manufacturing industry will require substantial financial resources, skilled human capital, and strong institutional frameworks. However, he noted that Kenya is well-positioned to succeed due to its growing network of strategic partners.

“We have partners such as UNICEF, which already procures large volumes of vaccines. It is important to ensure that what we manufacture locally is supported and taken up by development partners,” he said.


The leaders agreed that producing vaccines locally is not only a health necessity but also a strategic investment in Kenya’s long-term development, positioning the country to better protect its citizens while contributing to regional and global health security.

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